Stand By Me
by Drace929
Summary: A/U- AJ is thrown a major curve ball the minute she thinks she has it all figured out. Punk is in hiding after his losses and has no will to move on from it. Will they be each other's saving graces?
1. Life Altering

**A/N: So here I am...again. Starting something new, something a little different. I was really hesitant to start anything new because I am super busy and won't be able to update 4 times a day like I usually do but I needed to write in some of my down time. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Summary: AJ is thrown a major curve ball the minute she thinks she has it all figured out. Punk is in hiding after his losses and has no will to move on from it. Will they be each other's saving graces?**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but Cal (you'll meet Cal soon, you'll hate him, that's how you know I created him) and whatever weirdo I create to cause drama.**

* * *

 **Life Altering**

* * *

It was an early morning with birds chirping and sun rays shinning through the closed beige blinds of the diner bathroom window. Inside stall number two was jumpy feet. You can see the converse tapping on the floor and if you listened close enough you could hear the heartbeat of the woman jumping around. Sweat poured down her slender face as her shaky fingers held the stick in her hand.

"Is it done yet?" A voice asked knocking on the stall.

"I'm not sure! Nothing has come up yet!" AJ yelled back.

"It's been almost fifteen minutes!" Another voice pointed out. "You're making me nervous!"

"I'm making YOU nervous?" AJ groaned as her voice dripped in sarcasm to hide the absolute fear.

AJ screwed her eyes at the pregnancy test she had just peed on and studied it as faint lines began to appear. She could feel her heart beat against her ribs as her hands clenched the test tightly.

"Oh, fuck." AJ whispered shaking her head.

"What?" One of the voices asked opening the stall door. "One line or two?"

"Two." AJ groaned as her friend snatched the test.

"Look, Aimee!" Celeste cheered showing her the test.

"Pregnant." Aimee forced out eyeing her friend who looked ready to cry on the bathroom floor. "I thought you and Cal stopped having sex." She said passing AJ back the pregnancy test.

"We did. But it was one night a month ago because he was nagging and it was the only way to shut him up." AJ groaned standing up and flushing the toilet.

"Some marriage." Celeste snorted. "Maybe this baby will bring you two closer together."

"I don't want to be to closer together with him." AJ snapped throwing the pregnancy test out in the nearest trashcan. "I want to be in another state far, far, far away. I hate it here. I hate the busy streets-"

"Yes, we know you hate Chicago." Aimee mocked. "You complain about it everyday."

"You've lived here for five years now." Celeste pointed out as AJ washed her hands in the sink.

"That's because Cal had to work out here. He lost his job since then." AJ remarked shaking her head in disgust.

"And three other jobs in-between." Aimee added quietly.

"I think it's four." Celeste whispered to her.

"Why don't you just leave him?" Aimee asked.

"He won't let me leave him." AJ groaned leaning against the sink. "I'm all he has."

"He's controlling." Aimee pointed out.

"And mean." Celeste added.

"You don't think I don't know that?" AJ asked them. "You think I want to be here living with him far from home?"

"What's left for you in New Jersey anyway?" Celeste asked curiously. "Your family is gone."

"My parents are but my grandparents are still in Puerto Rico and I know they'd take me in." AJ told them proudly.

"So, go!" Aimee suggested.

"I can't just show up." AJ said to them. "I can't just show up pregnant. I also can't afford to just go."

"I thought you were saving up?" Celeste asked.

"I am. My little runaway stash is growing but Cal keeps an eye on every cent I bring into the house." AJ explained to her friends.

"That's because you hand him over your tips and pay check every day." Aimee said to her.

"He asks for them." AJ shrugged. "He pays the bills and rent. My weak check barely can cover groceries."

"How much do you have saved up?" Celeste asked.

"About five hundred dollars." She told them. "I can only skim the top of my tips without alerting Cal." She shrugged.

"Hey, we're not judging." Aimee assured her. "But you're pregnant now." She reminded her friend and AJ groaned. "That's travel for two. Unless you plan on leaving the baby behind with Cal."

"God no." AJ said shaking her head. "I don't want this baby but I'm not going to leave it behind at the mercy of Cal who can't even make a cup of coffee. No, the baby is better off with me than him."

"Well that's nice." Celeste forced out.

"I don't pay you three to stand around and gossip in the bathroom!" a man yelled banging on the door.

"Coming!" Celeste yelled.

* * *

The diner they worked in wasn't always the busiest but they had their regular customers. It was in the 'bad' part of town but they never really had any issues. It was only a quick bus ride to the train station for AJ to get home from this diner and this neighborhood seemed like paradise in comparison to where she was living with Cal anyway. Work was her escape. It was the one place she could be without her overbearing husband breathing down her neck. She could laugh with friends and talk to strangers for hours. She loved to work. She picked up any and all shifts she could get. The less time at home the better for her.

"What can I get you?" AJ asked pulling out her notepad.

"The usual." The tattooed man said handing her the menu.

"Coffee, black." She wrote down. "A small stack of pancakes and a glass of orange juice with no ice."

"Who puts ice in orange juice anyway?" The man asked seriously and she smiled.

"You'd be surprised." She said shaking her head. "No Larry today?"

"Nah." the man smirked looking at his phone. "It's hard to sneak him in here when he's loud as shit."

"Bring him by on a walk he brightens my day." AJ suggested.

"This place really isn't in walking distance from where I live." he laughed a bit now looking up at her. "You have a dog?"

"My husband hates dogs." AJ told him and he nodded.

"That's right, I remember you telling me that." He nodded along. "I don't trust people that don't like dogs."

"So why do you come all the way down here if you live so far away?" She asked.

"I don't want to be recognized." He explained and she eyed him and he let out a laugh. "You're not really into sports are you?"

"No." She admitted shyly. "You play baseball or something?"

"I'm a fighter...was a fighter." He corrected quietly.

"Oh." AJ said to him. "My husband watches the UFC I think it is."

"Then he'd probably know me." Punk said to her.

"Let me get your order in." AJ said to him and walked off.

AJ placed the order on the ring and swallowed the lump in her throat and placed her hand over her stomach and shook her head.

"You're really two young to understand anything but you've screwed everything up." She hissed at her stomach.

"Talking to yourself?" Celeste asked.

"Scolding my unborn child for being conceived." AJ shrugged simply and Celeste frowned.

"The baby is innocent." Celeste pointed out.

"Of course I know that." AJ said shaking her head. "But I didn't want a baby. I never wanted a baby. I had dreams."

"To move to Puerto Rico, and do what?" Celeste asked and AJ pulled something out of her apron pocket. "Writing contest?"

"There's an entry fee of three thousand dollars but you're likely to get picked up by an agent." AJ told her.

"It's a gamble and you don't have three thousand dollars." Celeste reminded her.

"It is a gamble and I don't have three thousand dollars but this isn't for another three months." She pointed out. "I have time to save up. I've been working on my book for three years and it's done I just need someone to take it seriously."

"I know that." Celeste said passing her back the flier. "You're very talented and you should be an author. But you know that Cal will never let you go."

"I know. That's why I need to save up for this on my own." AJ told her.

"Then what?" Celeste asked. "He'll find you."

"He won't. I'll have money and be back in Puerto Rico he'd never go there." AJ told her.

"What about this baby?" Celeste asked.

"That's obviously throws a wrench into my plans but I'm going to figure it all out." AJ said surely and Celeste just forced a smile.

"Sure." Celeste said to her. "How do you think Cal is going to take the news about the baby?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I don't even plan to tell him. I'll hopefully be long gone before he even notices."

"I think he's going to notice." Celeste smirked. "Babies grow."

"Yea I know." AJ snapped. "I have to get back to work."

* * *

The next day AJ went way out of her way to head over to the free clinic. She went to the 'nice' part of town to avoid Cal seeing her. She had to lie about being called into work early just to sneak out. It took her three trains and two buses to get to this clinic. After waiting two hours she was seen for ten minutes and told she was in fact pregnant and was given some prenatal vitamins and sent on her way. She walked out of the clinic and headed over to the bus stop to begin her long way back to the diner so she could earn the money she needed to get the hell out of Chicago.

"No! I want to go to the toy store!" A little boy yelled tugging on his clearly exhausted mother's hand. AJ's face dropped as she watched the mother struggle to plead with the child.

"I promise right after the dentist." The mother said putting on a smile for the sea of strangers watching.

"No! I want to go now!" He said kicking her then running off and the mother chased after him.

This was AJ's worst nightmare. She was frozen in shock and fear. She was going to be a single mother trying to raise a kid with no money and no father. The child would be better off without Cal but still the fear lived inside of her. She didn't know how to be a parent. Her parent's were barely parents to her as it was and Cal was a man she knew her whole life and latched on to because he did take care of her. He provided a roof over her head and clothes on her back and she wanted that feeling more than anything. Her family never provided that kind of insurance of her and Cal did. She hated leaving New Jersey and never wanted to but Cal insisted when he got a job offer to do construction. He was fired six months in for 'being late' but AJ knew there was more to the story, she just didn't care to hear it.

AJ truly didn't care about Cal. She loved him when she was younger but the older she became the more she grew to hate him. He was short tempered sure, he never hit her though, but the temper she could deal with because she liked when he was angry at her. She liked it so much she would try to pick fights because at least if he was angry he would leave her alone. The man was unbelievably needy. He wanted constant attention and nurturing from her. She had to have dinner for him prepared every night at six on the dot and had to pretend to care about his day. She was starting to lose her will to lie about caring. The man wouldn't let her breathe without him. She had no life outside of her marriage and she was starting to go crazy.

"Hey!" AJ grinned feeling something at her feet and saw the familiar dog. "Larry!" She cheered kneeling down to pet the dog.

"Sorry." Punk said and AJ looked up. "Oh, hey." he said recognizing the woman as his regular waitress.

"Hey." She smiled but towards the dog.

"He likes you." Punk smirked as Larry jumped in her lap.

"The feeling is mutual." AJ grinned petting the dog like crazy.

"No work today?" He asked.

"Of course I work today. I'm on my way there now." She said standing up.

"You're a long way away." He noted. "Do you need a ride or something?"

"No, thank you though." She said to him. "You live over here?"

"Right in there." He said pointing across the street at the tattoo parlor.

"A tattoo shop?" She asked stunned and he laughed.

"The big building on top of it." He smirked and she shook her head.

"Of course, sorry." She said to him.

"Nothing to be sorry for." Punk told her. "What brings you to this part of town?"

"I had a doctors appointment this morning." She shrugged.

"Well I'm on my way to the diner now I was just going to bring Larry home it's silly for you not to take the ride. I promise I'm not a serial killer." He assured her.

The cold air hit AJ like a ton of bricks as the wind kicked up (another reason she hated Chicago) and she eyed the always friendly customer.

"Ok." AJ forced out.

"Come on." He nodded for AJ to follow him across the street.

* * *

AJ waited right by the front door but inside the huge house as Punk settled Larry and grabbed his car keys.

"Why do you travel all the way across town for the diner when you live here?" She asked following Punk outside and towards his garage.

"I like the food and service." He shrugged. "Again, I don't like being recognized, not many people notice me there."

"Right." She said and gulped when she saw four cars in his garage. "These are all your cars?"

"They are." He smirked unlocking the red car and he opened the passenger side door for her.

"Do you live with four people?" She asked as he got into the car next.

"No." He laughed. "I live with Larry."

"No wife?" She asked stunned.

"Nope." He said simply as he pulled out of the garage.

"Sorry for the questions but I'm a naturally curious person." She said to him.

"I've noticed." He laughed a bit. "So you don't drive?"

"No." She said shaking her head. "I mean I have a license but no car. My husband has the car."

"He should get you a car." Punk said to her simply. "Winter is a cold time of year here to be waiting for buses and trains."

"He likes to drive." She shrugged and Punk nodded.

"If you're married why don't you wear a ring?" He asked and AJ looked at her bare ring finger.

"I lost it." She shrugged almost happily and he eyed her with amusement.

"You're not from Chicago are you?" He asked.

"No. New Jersey." She told him honestly. "I don't like it here."

"Really? Chicago is amazing." He told her proudly.

"Says the native." AJ muttered.

"It really isn't that bad. I think it's because you don't sight see." He told her. "There's a lot of beautiful things here."

"I like to not freeze to death." She told him seriously and he let out a laugh.

"I can respect that." He said to her nodding. "You don't seem happy here in Chicago that's for sure."

"That's true." AJ said to him.

"So why don't you tell your husband? Go back to New Jersey." He said to her and she laughed this time.

"He works out here and he likes it here so here I am." She said with bitterness.

"How long have you been married?" he asked curiously.

"Six years." She told him.

"You're young." Punk noted.

"We got married when I turned 18. The day I turned 18 actually." She told him.

"You don't seem happy in your marriage." he noted and she didn't say a thing but looked straight ahead.

"So, you're a fighter?" She asked.

"I was." He said to her.

"What happened? You get hurt?" She asked.

"My ego did." He forced out. "Had a couple of bad losses."

"That's nothing." AJ said brushing it off.

"It is when it's in front of thousands of people live and millions watching around the globe." He said to her.

"Yea I guess that could hurt an ego." She agreed and he smirked.

"So if you live all the way across Chicago why is your doctor over here?" He asked her.

"It's the only doctor I could get." She shrugged.

"You ok? Sick?" He asked.

"Something like that." She mumbled. "Parasite." She hissed but meant to say it in her head.

"What was that?" Punk asked.

"Stomach bug." She shrugged.

"Oh." He nodded. "Should you be working?" He asked.

"Working is my only free time out of the apartment. You'd have to cut off my limbs to keep me home." She said seriously and he frowned.

"You know if you're not happy-" He began.

"I'm perfectly content with my life." She told him simply cutting him off.

Small chitchat was made on the twenty minute drive to the diner but all AJ could think about was the tiny baby growing inside of her stomach. How detached she felt from it and how it was going to slow her down and throw a wrench in her own escape plans. But she knew no matter what she was going to have this baby and figure out how to be a halfway decent mother.

* * *

 **A/N #2- Don't hate AJ she's in shock. Also, you'll meet Cal soon.**


	2. POS

**POS**

* * *

Later that night AJ was leaving the diner at close to 8pm. It was a twelve hour day for her but she enjoyed the long commute home because it was peaceful for her. It was her time alone.

"Get in!" a voice yelled and held the horn down. AJ knew the voice and horn well and glared towards her husband who kept honking his horn. "Apey!" he yelled honking still.

"Great." She muttered and walked over the car and tried to open it but it was locked. Cal reached over and pulled the lock up and she got into the old beat up car.

"Hi." Cal greeted with a big grin and kissed her cheek.

"Hey." She forced out putting her seat belt on but it wouldn't click closed.

"You know that doesn't work." Cal said to her. "Going to have to get that fixed."

"Right." She said letting the seat belt go and Cal held his hand out. AJ sighed as she pulled out her tips and placed them into his hand.

"Slow day?" Cal asked looking at the money rather than the road.

"Yea it was cold." She said shivering. "No heat either?" she said placing her hands in front of his car vents that had nothing blowing out.

"You were at work all day and this is what you made? Forty bucks?" He asked in disbelief. "You left before I even woke up."

"Yea. Like I said it was slow." She lied. She skimmed forty bucks from that and tucked it away in her sock before she even left the diner. She needed to start to adding more money to her escape fund and quickly.

"Did you bring me home anything to eat?" He asked.

"No. There was nothing left over." She shrugged.

"A slow day and they didn't have leftover pie or soup?" He asked and she just ignored him and looked ahead.

"I'll cook when I get home." She told him.

"Good because I am starving." He laughed. "So, aren't you going to ask how my day was?"

"How was your day?" She forced out.

"It was alright." He sighed dramatically. "Had to take half a day because I sprained my wrist." she wasn't even listening. She was envisioning her future far, far away from him. "Apey." He scolded. "Did you hear what I just said?"

"Sprained wrist." She recited.

"Don't you want to know if it's ok? Or how it happened?" He asked her.

"Is it ok? How did it happen?" She asked almost robotically.

"Well..." he trailed off and AJ looked at him but her mind was long gone already.

* * *

The next morning AJ walked over to the usual table and saw CM Punk sitting at the table, of course she had only known him as Phil.

"Good morning." Punk greeted.

"Morning." She forced out with a yawn. "Usual?"

"Yea." He said handing her the menu.

"Coming right up." She said but he put his hand around her wrist gently.

"You dropped this in my car yesterday." He said passing her back the prescription she completely forgot about.

"Crap." She muttered taking it. "Thanks."

"Congratulations." He said to her and she rolled her eyes.

"Please don't congratulate me." She said to him with a whisper.

"You and your husband didn't plan this?" he asked and she laughed.

"Does it appear to you that my husband and I do anything together?" She asked amused.

"You made the baby together." He pointed out.

"That was very one sided." She huffed and his face fell. "No! It wasn't like forced." She whispered quietly and he eyed her.

"That's what it sounded like." He said to her.

"I just lay there-" She began to explain then shook her head. "It's just a way to get him to shut up once a month- if he's lucky."

"Right." He said to her and watched her scurry off.

Punk looked back as he watched her grab her stomach and head off into the bathroom. He shook his head and waited for his coffee and juice and began to think that maybe his problems weren't as bad as everyone elses. Sure he was humiliated after his last loss but he did have his health, his dog and a shit ton of money. He pitied his waitress who looked miserable and lost and confused. A loveless marriage and now a baby. Yes, Punk was luckier than he thought for sure.

* * *

Later that night AJ was cleaning up the kitchen after cooking for Cal. She poked her head out of the kitchen and heard the shower running which gave AJ the free few minutes she needed to hide the rest of her tips from Cal. She jogged over to the cabinet and pulled out a pot with a lid and placed the rubber banded cash in the pot. She had money hidden in a lot of different spots in case he found one spot she still had more hidden.

"Babe!" Cal yelled and AJ froze her face but quickly shoved the pot to the back of the pantry.

"Yes." AJ smiled turning around to face him in just a towel.

"It's been a few weeks." He said untying his towel and AJ groaned.

"I told you I have a stomach bug." She shrugged simply and turned back around to the sink and began to clean the dishes.

Her eyes shut tightly as she felt his wet arms wrap around her waist and he kissed her neck.

"A month." He reminded her. "You have to give me something."

"I really don't feel well." She insisted and he forced her to turn around and face him.

"An entire month. You have duties as my wife. It's either I get it from you or go looking for it elsewhere." He threatened but AJ didn't take it as a threat, she would have smiled if she didn't want to piss him off.

"I'm cleaning." She now insisted.

"And the dishes will be dirty after." he said reaching behind her to turn the faucet off.

Before AJ knew it her pants were discarded, top was still in tact as she laid there flat on her back. She yawned as she let Cal get whatever it is he needed from her. The upside to this meant he wouldn't bother for a few more weeks. She couldn't help but feel anger since the last time this happened she ended up pregnant, but Cal didn't know that. The downside of this meant she was going to have to shower and scrub her skin until it was raw.

"That's so good." Cal moaned as he swayed into her body and AJ had to roll her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was because she had no feelings for the man inside of her or maybe she just didn't like sex.

That was a lie of course because when Cal took her virginity and before they were married she loved having sex. She craved it. But it had become boring and missionary. She literally never felt anything. She didn't even fake an orgasm anymore.

"That's it!" He yelled out and AJ eyed him as if he was crazy then felt him release. She was relieved herself since this was finally over. Cal rolled onto his back and AJ popped right up out of bed and grabbed her sleeping shorts and pulled them up.

"I have to shower." She told him.

"How can you even move after that?" Cal asked and AJ just blinked her eyes at him.

"I manage." She said then stood up and walked out of the bedroom and raced into the bathroom.

* * *

Meanwhile across town Punk was sitting in his living room watching the game with his friend Colt. Hockey was still going strong and Hawks were playing out of town which meant he wouldn't be at the game, not that it mattered since he didn't even go to home games anymore.

"I really feel like you need to get out and go to a game." Colt insisted.

"I told you I get bad anxiety." Punk said to him and Colt rolled his eyes.

"That shit is in your head." Colt told him.

"No it's not. You have no idea how I feel." Punk said annoyed.

"Whatever." Colt said standing up. "You want a drink?"

"Yea a water." Punk said keeping his eyes on the game as his friend walked into the kitchen.

"Uh, is there something you want to tell me?" Colt asked holding up a book and Punk turned his head.

"Oh, that's for a girl I know." Punk said brushing it off.

"The pregnancy countdown?" Colt asked walking over with the book. "Are you the father?"

"Yea I've had such an active sex life these last few months." Punk snorted sarcastically.

"So what's the deal?" Colt asked.

"My waitress at the diner is having a baby." Punk shrugged. "She doesn't seem excited about it so I got her that book."

"Don't do it." Colt warned him.

"What? It's just a present." Punk asked confused.

"Don't involve yourself in this girls problem." Colt warned him seriously. "You love to run in and save the day leave this kid alone."

"She's not a kid." Punk said to him. "And I'm not running in and doing anything. She confided in me and I feel like she needs a pick me up so I got her a book."

"Or she knows you're a rich celebrity and is latching on to you." Colt pointed out.

"She has no idea who I am." Punk told him. "I told her but she really doesn't care. Besides she's married."

"Jesus." Colt groaned.

"What?" Punk asked with a laugh.

"A married pregnant chick? Are you out of your fucking mind?" Colt asked in disbelief.

"I'm not trying to get with her. I see her every morning and she's nice or as nice as she can be." He smirked. "I just want her to have something nice. It's just a book relax."

"Why can't you just be content? You made a shit ton of money you should be somewhere tropical getting laid every night." Colt said to him.

"Not my thing anymore." Punk said simply.

"Right." Colt said shaking his head. "You're miserable."

"I am what I am." Punk shrugged. "Just leave it be."

"Fine." Colt said putting the book down. "Don't give her the book. Butt out of this girls life. Maybe go to a different diner."

"I like the food." Punk argued.

"You like the waitress." Colt corrected. "Is this the one you mentioned a few weeks ago? The one without a wedding ring"

"All I said was that she was pretty. And she is married." Punk said to him. "She's cool."

"She's married and has a kid on the way stay the fuck out." Colt told him.

"I don't think her husband is good to her." Punk told him and Colt rolled his eyes.

"Who fucking cares?" Colt asked.

"I fucking care." Punk insisted. "She's my friend."

"She's your waitress." Colt corrected. "Stay out of it before you end up in the paper for some affair shit or getting shot by some guy who is pissed you're making eyes at his wife."

"Relax, it's just a book." Punk repeated.

* * *

The next morning Punk was already waited on by Celeste since AJ wasn't at work yet. She came running in with her jacket wrapped around her.

"You're late, AJ." Her boss who was also the cook scolded.

"Ten minutes." AJ shrugged taking her jacket off. "The bus was late which made me late to the train." She said hanging her jacket up and tying her apron.

"Uh-huh." The boss said nodding. "When is that husband of yours going to get you a car?"

"When he's not afraid I'll drive away and never come back." AJ teased back as Punk eyed her with amusement.

"Right." The boss laughed a bit. "Celeste started your tables for you."

"You're a goddess." AJ said to Celeste who passed her the orders book. "Hey." she greeted walking over to Punk first.

"Hey." he smirked.

"Did Celeste get your order right?" She asked.

"She did so far." He said to her eyeing the coffee. "We'll see if she puts ice in my OJ."

"I'm taking back over so I'll take care of it." she assured him.

"Look." He began. "I got you something." He said sliding her the book over and she picked it up.

"You didn't have to." She told him shaking her head at the book.

"I wanted to." He told her. "Maybe you can find something to look forward to."

"I know I haven't been excited but I'm not going to give away my baby or abort it." She whispered. "I'm sure I've made a terrible impression but I'm keeping my baby."

"I know that. But I thought you could be a tad more excited if you read the book." He shrugged. "I don't think you're a shitty person."

"I feel like one." She admitted placing the book in her apron pocket. "Thank you for the book."

"You're welcome." he said to her.

While Punk was eating his breakfast he spotted AJ off in the corner flipping through the pages of the book. If the book could help her at all ease her mind he'd feel like he accomplished something. He had no idea why he was so invested in this woman or her pregnancy. This was a problem he had nothing to do with but for some reason couldn't help but butt into it.

"Hey, do you think you could cover me for tonight?"Aimee asked AJ who smiled brightly.

"You bet I could." She said happily.

"I don't want you to over work but I have a date-" Aimee began.

"I already told you I'd do it." AJ assured her as Punk listened. "I need the cash."

"How is the saving going?" Aimee asked.

"I'm getting there." AJ told her. "I've been skimming a few more bucks off my tips into my stash but I think Cal is getting suspicious." She admitted.

"He's an idiot." Aimee stated bluntly. "I'm surprised he can even count."

"Me too but when it comes to my tips and paycheck he never misses." AJ told her.

"You know the offer still stands to stay with me." Aimee told her. "It's a small place but I'll take the couch."

"That's sweet but I'd never put you out and Cal would find me anyway and bring me home." AJ shrugged. "When I leave I have to be far enough away."

"I'm worried about you." Aimee admitted. "So is Celeste. We're not sure how Cal is going to take this baby news."

"He's never going to hear the news." AJ told her as Punk listened on. "I'll be gone"

"You'll never save up enough money before you start showing." Aimee pointed out.

"He'll just think I'm getting fat." AJ waved off her fears. "He's not that smart as you pointed out."

"So what happens? You go to Puerto Rico and hope your grandparents take you in?" Aimee asked. "What if they say no?"

"Then I go to plan B which I don't have yet but I'm fully prepared to provide for myself and my child." AJ told her proudly.

"This book thing again?" Aimee asked.

"You liked my book." AJ pointed out.

"I did! It's amazing and you write beautifully but the chances of that happening are slim to none." Aimee told her.

"Then I'll work as a waitress somewhere else and be just fine." AJ said simply.

* * *

Punk ended up dragging out his breakfast and ended up staying for lunch. He made some work calls and sent some emails and at noon AJ was on break.

"Break time?" He asked.

"Yea finally." She said and he gestured for him to sit across from him.

"Can I buy you lunch?" He offered and she smiled which for some reason made him smile.

"We get free lunch but my stomach couldn't handle it today. Just getting off my feet for twenty minutes is good enough." She told him.

"You know, if you need money-" He began.

"I don't." She said abruptly cutting him off. "But thanks."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say." He laughed.

"You're a rich man who is clearly very cheap." She told him.

"I prefer frugal." He chimed in.

"And you seem like a super nice guy who wants to help me for some reason but I know you wanted to offer money and I just won't take a handout but thank you." She smiled kindly.

"You're right I was." He said simply.

"So what's your deal?" She asked eyeing him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I still don't know who you are." She said simply. "I don't know how you made your money if you're as bad as you say you are at fighting."

"You ever hear of WWE?" he asked and she eyed him and thought about it.

"Like Stone Cold?" She asked and he nodded.

"I worked there for a long time. Was a champion for a long time." He told her.

"Oh." AJ said nodding along. "Why did you leave?"

"I needed something more." He told her. "I didn't feel I was treated right there."

"I know that feeling." She mumbled.

"Yea I suppose you would." He said quietly. "I ended up trying something new and even though I made a lot of money doing UFC I wasn't good at it. I'm not so much embarrassed as I am disappointed in myself because I love fighting and I hate that I'm bad at it."

"Life would be boring if you didn't take a risk." She shrugged. "If you like fighting you should keep doing it."

"Yea? I don't know who would have me." Punk laughed.

"You said you were a champion at WWE I'm sure anyone would take you." AJ shrugged. "Let them think you suck then surprise them."

"I suppose there's always that." He smirked. "So, did you talk to your husband?"

"About my baby? No." She told him.

"Did you two ever discuss kids?" He asked curiously.

"Just that neither of us ever wanted children." She shrugged. "I never wanted children because I didn't have the best parental example growing up and Cal didn't want children because he wouldn't want the attention I give him off of him."

"Seriously?" Punk asked surprised.

"Selfish, huh?" She asked. "I know I'm a selfish monster."

"Not you." Punk said shaking his head. "I get that, the bad parent thing. I didn't have great ones myself. I don't get a man not wanting to share you with his child. That's fucking selfish."

"He'd probably ask me to get rid of it." She told him and he nodded. "He'll say we can't afford it, which we can't but that doesn't stop people. But he'll know I'd love this baby more than him and that would drive him crazy and that would scare me."

"Why scare you?" he asked.

"Imagine bringing home a baby to a man who resents it? Who blames it?" She asked and he nodded. "He's got a shitty temper as it is anyway."

"And you said he's not violent?" Punk asked.

"He's never beaten me." She told him.

"That's not what I asked." Punk clarified.

"He's rough sometimes but I can defend myself, a baby can't." She shrugged.

"You're right." Punk agreed. "It sounds like you're in a really bad living situation and I think you should leave."

"I'm fine." AJ told him simply. "Like I said I can defend myself."

"You shouldn't have to." He told her. "Do you have a cellphone?"

"Yea." She said pulling out her old flip phone and Punk took it from her hands.

"I'm putting my number in here. I'll put it under Phila. You can say it's a new girl from work. If you need anything and I mean anything at all you can call me." He said to her.

"You don't have to do that." She said as he handed the phone back to her.

"I don't mind." He said to her.

"So you feel the same way about kids because of your parents?" She asked.

"Yea. I mean I did." He said thinking about it. "When I was younger and on the road I never wanted a family but now that I'm a bit more settled and wiser I think it doesn't seem as awful as it used to."

"Hopefully my mindset starts to change." She said to him.

"You seem smart." He said to her. "You're going to make a great mom."

"No way." She laughed shaking her head.

"Yes way." He said to her.

"You don't even know me." She pointed out.

"I know enough." He said to her. "Boy or girl?"

"It's too early I think but I don't really care." She said to him.

"Really?" He asked.

"I mean obviously a girl would be cool because they're awesome." She teased. "Me and my little sidekick."

"Yea that seems right." Punk had to agree. "I can see you with a daughter."

"She'll have my asshole personality." AJ teased.

"That would be awesome." he had to laugh.

* * *

After ten more minutes of chatting it was time for AJ to get back to work. She stood up and eyed Punk.

"You're staying?" She asked.

"I'm waiting on a phone call." he lied. "I don't want to answer it while I'm driving."

"Can I get you some more coffee?" She offered and he nodded.

"That would be great." He said to her and she walked off as a man walked through the door. He was disheveled, sloppy and immediately rubbed Punk the wrong way.

"April Jeanette!" The man shouted loudly and Punk looked back and saw AJ appear and she looked nervous.

"Cal." She forced out with a nervous smile.

"Here we go." Celeste groaned rolling her eyes to Aimee.

"I need your tips so far." He told her and AJ hadn't had time to hide any of it.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"I have to buy lunch for the guys today." he told her holding his hand out and she placed a few bills in his hand and he eyed her. "You worked the morning rush so I know there's more. Check the other pocket."

"Oh, yea." She said with a forced smile and placed the bills in his hand.

"Good girl." Cal smiled. "I won't be able to pick you up today."

"That's alright I'm working the night shift today anyway." He told her.

"What about my dinner?" He asked seriously.

"Buy it out." AJ said simply.

"We don't have that kind of money." He told her. "I'll drop by for the tips around five then since I'll have to feed myself too."

"Fine." AJ forced out and he kissed her lips roughly and walked out of the diner.

Punk saw as AJ's whole face fell. Him taking those tips though not much was going to set her back in her savings especially if he did come back for her later tips. AJ always seemed funny and sarcastic like nothing ever bothered her but right now she looked defeated and humiliated.

"AJ-" Celeste began.

"Excuse me." AJ said rushing past her and towards the back where the bathrooms were.

"Piece of shit he is." Aimee said to Celeste who nodded in agreement.


	3. Friendly Offers

**Friendly Offers**

* * *

Three weeks had come and gone and AJ was still struggling to get her money in order.

"Your boyfriend is back." Aimee said to AJ who eyed her.

"What?" AJ asked and she peered out and saw Punk already seated at his regular table.

They had found themselves bonding a bit more. It wasn't just the shitty childhoods but also their love for comics and video games bonding them a bit more now. She had considered Punk a good friend now.

"He's just a friend." AJ said waving it off.

"Right. Rich hot strangers are always just friends." Aimee teased.

"He's just a friend. And if you ever say that in front of Cal he'll kill me." AJ warned her. Cal was a very VERY jealous man.

"Relax." Aimee assured her.

AJ walked over to Punk and she grinned.

"The comics I promised you." he told her.

"I'm getting spoiled with all of these." AJ smiled as she placed his cup of coffee down for him and juice. "Aren't you getting sick of the food here?"

"No. Are you getting sick of waiting on me?" he asked her.

"Not at all but you might want to change it up a bit at least from the menu." She said to him.

"I'm a creature of habit." He said simply. "Working the lunch shift too?"

"No I have an appointment at the clinic." She told him.

"Everything alright?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Yea but it's been a month and I have to make sure this thing is still growing." She shrugged.

"Need a ride?" he offered. "It is right by my house."

"I couldn't impose." She said shaking her head.

"It's no an imposition it's actually convenient." He told her simply. "I have nothing else going on."

"Alright." AJ said to him. "It's at eleven."

"Just get me when you're ready." He shrugged then sipped on his coffee.

AJ walked to the back and couldn't help but smile. Going through this pregnancy alone was scary, having someone offer a ride and actually care was refreshing to her.

"April!" A voice boomed and she froze in fear.

"What is he doing here now?" Celeste groaned.

"April!" he yelled again and the customers were looking at him but he didn't seem to care.

"Cal." AJ greeted nervously.

"Get your stuff." He ordered her.

"I'm in the middle of work." She told him quietly.

"You're taking a sick day." He said grabbing her arm and Punk stood up.

"I have things to do." She insisted but his eyes were red from crying and he was having an off day clearly.

"Now!" He yelled in her face and she didn't flinch even though Aimee and Celeste did.

"AJ, no." Celeste said to her.

"It's fine." AJ said plastering on a smile grabbing her jacket and purse.

"AJ-" Punk began as she walked past him. "What about that thing?" he asked quietly.

"Another day, Celeste will look after you." She told Punk simply.

"I'm sorry." She mouthed to Celeste and Aimee as Cal rushed her out of the diner.

* * *

"Explain this to me." Cal said as pushed AJ into the car.

"Explain what?" AJ asked innocently as he held up cash that she had hidden.

"What is this!" He yelled as he began to drive. "Why is there money hidden all over the apartment? In coffee cans, pots, under coaches and chairs and mattresses!"

"Cal-" She began.

"Are you leaving me!?" He asked and slapped her across the face surprising her. "Is that what this is! There's no reason for you to be hiding money!"

"Cal." She whispered holding her stinging cheek. "I'm pregnant." She blurted out and he hit the brakes on the car.

"You're what?" he hissed.

"Pregnant." She told him nervously.

"How?" he asked stunned.

"You're never careful and you don't want me on birth control-" She began to explain.

"So what was the money for? To get rid of it?" He asked her. "You weren't even going to talk to me about it first?"

"I knew you'd be mad." She said to him. "I didn't want to upset you with this."

"That is what the money was for, right?" He asked and she nodded slowly, unsure if that was the answer he was looking for. "How much does it cost?"

"About two grand." She made up but knowing that's how much she had saved up. "I almost saved it all up."

"Jesus." He laughed pulling over. "You scared the shit out of me!" He said grabbing her face and kissing her. "I thought you were going to leave me."

"No." She lied shaking her head fearfully.

"When are you having it done?" He asked her. "You need me there to drop you off?"

"No!" She said a little too loudly. "I have it all taken care of."

"Alright." Cal said relieved. "A baby isn't for us. You barely take care of me you can't take after a kid."

"I know." She agreed quietly.

"But who knew this thing was so expensive? Aren't there like cheap places that will take care of this?" He asked her but she looked straight ahead as the tears left her eyes. She couldn't help it. Her money had been found out and now he knew she was pregnant, also her cheek hurt really bad. "I can do it for free for ya, we have stairs in our building." He teased elbowing her playfully but she actually choked back a sob. "I'm sorry Apey." He said kissing her cheek.  
"Did you want this baby? You know we can't afford it. We can barely eat as it is."

"I know." She whispered. "My hormones are all out of whack I'm sorry." She forced out.

"We agreed no kids." He reminded her and she nodded.

"So you should start wearing condoms." She told him coldly. "This wasn't just my fault."

"It was your fault. You should know when you're fertile or whatever." Cal said amused.

"Wear a condom or no more sex." She told him harshly and he laughed.

"Fine!" He laughed. "You win! You always win!" He said still feeling relieving that she wasn't leaving him. He looked around where he pulled over and smiled.

"No." AJ said shaking her head knowing what he was thinking.

"Apey." He said to her. "I'm very relived I want to celebrate."

"You want to celebrate me killing our child?" She asked in disbelief. "You think this is the proper time for a hand job?"

"It's not even a baby. You're all liberal you know it's just a seed or whatever." He scoffed unzipping his pants. "Send me off to work happy, Apey." He ordered her in a stern voice and she reach her hand over but he grabbed her wrist and she nearly cried. "Mouth." he told her.

"Do you promise to take me back to work after?" She asked.

"Yea sure whatever." Cal said grabbing the back of her head and burying her face in his want. "That's such a good girl." He moaned happily as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Twenty minutes later AJ rushed back into the diner and headed straight for the bathroom and began to throw up in it. She just couldn't control her stomach. She was absolutely disgusted.

"Are you ok?" Celeste asked rubbing her back.

"No." She said crying shaking her head as she continued to vomit.

"What did he do?" Celeste asked her.

"I can't." She wept over the toilet. "I can't do this anymore!"

"You're doing just fine." Celeste reminded her proudly. "You're amazing-"

"I can't let him touch me anymore! I can't let him boss me around!" She cried.

"What did he do?" Celeste asked again as AJ stood up and now walked over to the sink and splashed water on her face.

"Is Phil still here?" AJ asked.

"Phil?" Celeste asked.

"The UFC guy." She said to her. "He said he'd take me to my appointment today."

"He ran out after you and Cal, I assumed he found you." Celeste shrugged.

"He wouldn't have been able to keep up with the way Cal drives." AJ said shaking her head. "I can't take a bus to the appointment it will take too long."

"I don't have a lot of cash but maybe a cab will get you there faster." Celeste offered.

"A cab at this time will be impossible." AJ said shaking her head. "I need to go to this appointment."

"I don't have that guys number." Celeste frowned.

"I do." AJ said pulling her out phone.

"Want me to call him for you?" She offered. "Maybe you need a few minutes to calm down?"

"Yea." AJ said pulling up Punk's number and handing it to Celeste.

* * *

Ten minutes later there was a knock on the bathroom door and AJ opened the door and Punk stepped inside.

"I was looking for you." Punk told her. "I didn't think you circled back."

"You didn't have to look for me." AJ told him.

"AJ, there's something very wrong with that man." He said and brushed her hair out of her face gently. "He hit you." He stated noting the red mark.

"That's nothing." AJ said shaking her head.

"It's something." he corrected. "He's going to kill you one day."

"He's not." She said shaking her head. "He's an idiot."

"An idiot with a temper." He pointed out.

"He found my money." She told him and Punk nodded.

"That's why he was so upset?" He asked and she nodded.

"I told him I was pregnant and he thought I was saving up for an abortion. I'm going to let him continue to think that." She told him and he nodded. "But he has that money and he won't just hand it back to me he'll want to make sure that's how much it costs."

"So what are you going to do?" He asked her.

"I don't know." She said shaking her head. "That money is gone regardless. He'll never let me see it again. He offered to do it for free."

"Your abortion?" He asked disgusted. "Are you-"

"No." She said shaking her head firmly. "This is my child not his." she stated proudly even though she was still a mess. "What?"

"That's the first time you referred to your baby as a baby and not it." He smirked.

"I guess so." She said with a faint smile. "Can you still give me a ride?"

"Of course. I can also get you a place to stay." He offered seriously. "I mean it AJ, I'll get you out of there."

"I'll just take the ride but thank you." She said with a light smile.

* * *

AJ was in the office and Punk was with her as well.

"Baby is right on mark." The doctor told her. "You're nine weeks along."

"Ok." AJ said sadly.

"Do you have any questions?" he asked.

"No." AJ said simply.

"Here's your sonogram." The doctor said passing her the picture and she just put it in her purse. "You need to put on a little weight though."

"I do the best I can." AJ said defensively.

"She'll eat." Punk assured the doctor who nodded.

"I'll give you two a few minutes." The doctor told them then excused themselves.

"You should see a real doctor." Punk told her and she rolled her eyes.

"This is what my free insurance gets me and it's fine." She said simply.

"The baby is getting big." Punk pointed out. "That's exciting."

"Sure." AJ said to him.

"Don't let your husband ruin this moment for you." Punk told her.

"He ruins every moment for me." AJ told him simply. "He's a horrible hateful man." She told him coldly. "And I know he loves me, I know he does but he's a prick."

"I can see that." He said to her quietly. "How are you going to keep this from him? Your money is gone there's no way out."

"I'll figure it out." She told him.

"Before you do something rash or stupid you can call me." He offered.

"I know." She said quietly as she cleaned herself up. "I'm not going to do anything stupid I just need to rethink my plans."

"I want to help." He offered.

"I know you do for some reason but I don't need any help. I got into this mess alone and I'll get out of it alone." She told him jumping off the table. "Can you take me back to work?"

"Yea but I don't think they're expecting you. They called someone else when you left." He told her.

"Great." AJ groaned. "Just what I need, less money."

"I have no plans for the day." He told her.

"Still in hiding?" She asked.

"I am." He smirked. "So, want to hang out?"

"Hang out?" She asked amused. "I haven't been allowed to hang out with anyone in years."

"Well your husband isn't here and your doctor said you have to eat." He told her. "Let me buy you lunch. A real lunch."

"I eat lunch at the diner everyday." She pointed out.

"Like I said, real lunch." He told her. "What are you craving?"

"Craving?" She asked with a laugh.

"You have to be craving something." He said to her. "My sister craved all sorts of weird crap."

"You have a sister?" She asked surprised.

"Yea three." He told her. "And a brother." He added. "Not by blood but by choice and fake adoption." he smiled.

"I always wanted siblings." She said to him.

"They're great, sometimes." he teased. "So what are you craving?"

"Nothing really." She admitted with a shrug thinking about it.

"Anything in the world you want today you get." He told her and she had to smile a bit. "Pizza?" he asked and she shook her head. "Steak? My sister ate steak like crazy."

"Steak does sound good but I haven't had a steak in years." She told him.

"You don't eat meat?" He asked.

"No I don't eat expensive meat out of my price range." she laughed a bit.

"Steak it is." He said helping her into her jacket.

* * *

Punk took AJ to the most expensive steak house in Chicago. She felt really out of place but the steak was so delicious she didn't even care.

"This is literally the best food I've ever had in my entire life." AJ said with a full mouth and he smiled. He had never seen her genuinely happy before. "The potatoes are amazing."

"Yea?" he asked with a smile.

"I could eat this everyday." She told him seriously.

"I could buy this meal for you everyday." He offered.

"No." She said shaking her head. "This is special this is a one time thing."

"You know, if you need a place to stay-" he began.

"You'd put me up anywhere I know that. I get it you're like Bruce Wayne." She said and he laughed.

"I wouldn't call myself Bruce Wayne." He said to her.

"Like I said I got into this mess and I'll get out of it." She told him.

"You don't have to do it alone." He reminded her.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked him seriously. "You don't even know me."

"I think I've gotten to know you pretty well." He noted. "And I like you. I think you're funny and could use a break. I like to help friends."

"Friends?" She asked.

"I'd say we were friends." He said to her.

"So since we're friends when are you going back to train?" She asked him. "Still to chicken?"

"Wow." Punk smirked. "It's easier said then done. And training means moving back to Milwaukee."

"I'd miss you but I'd get it." She shrugged.

"Yea I don't plan on going back there anytime soon." He told her honestly. "Holidays will be coming up anyway and I want to be home for that."

"Christmas your favorite holiday?" She asked curiously.

"It is." He confirmed. "Yours?"

"Not really." She said to him. "I like Thanksgiving. I like stuffing my face with as much food as possible. I'm a bit of a cow."

"Really? You're the size of my pinky." He teased.

"I mean Thanksgiving used to be fun when I was a kid but Cal isn't into holidays or stuff like that." She told him. "I'm going to work Thanksgiving anyway."

"Sounds depressing." he told her.

"We're not all worth thousands of dollars." She teased and he laughed. "What?"

"I'm worth a lot more than a thousand dollars." He informed her smugly.

"Oh, yea well I don't really follow fighting or wrestling." She shrugged.

"I think you'd like wrestling." He told her.

"I doubt it." She said to him taking another bite out of her steak.

* * *

After eating lunch and browsing around a comic book shop for an hour Punk took AJ home as she requested.

"He's not home his car is gone." She told him noting the spot was empty. "He's still at work."

"Good." He said turning the car off. "You can run up there and pack a bag and I'll wait right here."

"No." She said shaking her head and taking her seat belt off. "But thank you so much for today. That was the best lunch I've ever had."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." He smiled a bit.

"I really did. I think the baby did too." She told him.

"You called it a baby again." He grinned then he got out of the car and opened her car door for her. She forgot what it was like for someone to have manners.

"You'll be by the diner tomorrow?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Have I missed a day yet?" He asked.

"No." She admitted. "Thank you." She said going to kiss his cheek but he moved slightly and caught his lips but that's all AJ needed. She tugged at the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep tongue filled kiss. She had no idea what she was doing or why but it felt right. The kiss didn't go on forever but long enough for Punk to begin to respond but once she did she pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She said shaking her head at him.

"AJ-" He began but she ran off into her building before he could talk to her.


	4. Stand Up

**Stand Up**

* * *

AJ called in sick the next day at work but that was Cal's urging. He wanted to take the day and reconnect with his wife after their terrible argument the day before. She was not happy to be missing a days pay and was more upset to missing Punk. She didn't want him to think she was avoiding him but maybe he was avoiding her and didn't show up himself?

"Where have you been all day?" Cal asked looking up at AJ as he laid on her lap and she ran her hands through his hair as he watched TV.

"Here with you." She replied emotionless.

"No I mean you've been all quiet all day. Are you upset about this baby accident?" He asked her.

"No." She lied.

"Are you mad I slapped ya?" He asked sticking his head up. "You know I don't do that often."

"I know." She whispered.

"You just bring out all these emotions in me I can't describe it." He said to her and she just nodded.

"What if I kept the baby?" She asked him.

"That's out of the question." He told her.

"Having an abortion is against my religion." She pointed out as he sat up fully.

"Since when do you give a shit about the church?" He asked in disbelief. "And let's say you decided to have the baby and give it up for adoption who is paying the medical bills? Huh?" he asked tapping her head as if she was stupid. "We can't afford that April."

"What if we kept it?" she asked hopefully. "I mean-"

"No." He said standing up. "You know we can't afford this baby and you can't be a mother. You're a great wife to me but you're too cold to be a mother." he reminded her. "I need you. If you ever loved something or someone more than me-"

"It was just a thought." She said cutting him off.

"Get those thoughts out of your head." He warned her. "You belong to me."

"I know." She whispered.

"We've got each other we've always only had each other." He reminded her.

"But it's just a baby." She whispered with a hopeful smile. "How much trouble could a little baby be?"

"So much trouble!" He yelled startling her. "You've seen our friends marriages fall apart after having children! I want this baby gone."

"What if I promise to love you more always." She said standing up growing desperate.

Deep down AJ knew she wasn't getting out anytime soon, her one way out was Punk's kindness and she blew that when she forced her tongue in his mouth. Why would he be attracted to a married pregnant woman he barely knew and took in as a charity case? She had to get Cal to accept this baby or she'd be homeless or worse- dead- before the baby was set to be born.

"You can't promise that!" Cal yelled. "Where would we even put it?"

"We'll make room." AJ said hopefully grabbing onto his arms but he jerked away harshly.

"I don't want the kid!" Cal yelled.

"Well I do!" She yelled back and he eyed her. "I changed my mind. I want this baby."

"No you don't." Cal told her. "You're just growing attached to it! It needs to go!"

"I want to keep it!" She yelled back.

"I told you no." He reminded her in a low cold voice.

"And I told you yes." She said to him and she didn't see the punch coming but felt it as she hit the floor.

"We're going to the clinic tomorrow." He told her as she laid on the floor holding her cheek. "This baby is already causing trouble between us and I don't like it."

* * *

Punk was home later that night looking at his phone, contemplating calling AJ. He knew it would be a risky move but she didn't show up for work today and it wasn't just him who was nervous so were her friends. He hoped he didn't scare her off by responding to the kiss, but she must have wanted that reaction since she kissed him first, right? But then the terrible thoughts of maybe her husband saw them ran through his head and began to wonder if she was hurt.

"Dude, stop." Colt said from across the room as he kept his eyes on the TV.

"I'm worried about my friend." Punk said to him.

"The pregnant chick is a friend now?" Colt asked in disbelief.

"Yea, what of it?" Punk asked glaring at him. "She's cool."

"She's pregnant." Colt repeated.

"So?" He asked.

"She's married." Colt added now.

"Her husband is a dick." Punk scoffed and Colt shook his head.

"You're out of your fucking mind to do something like this." Colt said to him.

"He really is a dick. He wants her to get rid of the baby. He slaps her and-" Punk began.

"Did you ever think this chick needs money and knows you have it and is giving you a sob story?" Colt asked him.

"She's not like that." Punk said to him. "I offer her money all of the time and she turns me down. She is very stubborn."

"I can see why you like her." Colt muttered looking back at the TV. "You don't need this kind of drama in your life."

"She didn't go to work today so I'm worried." Punk said and Colt glared at him.

"Maybe she's spending the day with her husband." Colt suggested.

"That's what's worrying me." Punk told him. "We kissed-"

"Jesus Christ." Colt groaned tossing the remote. "Have you completely lost it? She's MARRIED!"

"She's not really married. Only by law." Punk defended quietly.

"How hot is this chick?" Colt asked.

"She's more than hot she's beautiful. Like genuinely naturally beautiful. I've never seen her with makeup on." Punk told him.

"I don't get you." Colt said shaking his head.

"It's not like I sought her out." Punk said to him. "We met, we have a bond."

"She's using you for money." Colt told him.

"She's not! She's won't even let me leave her a big tip!" Punk argued. "She keeps telling me to go back to Milwaukee to train too. She thinks I should fight again."

"She must not have seen your first two fights." Colt said and Punk glared at him. "Kidding." he added quickly.

"She's not out for money. She's lonely and needs a helping hand but won't take one so I'm just hanging out with her and I like hanging with her she's cool. You'd like her." Punk told him.

"I'd probably like her a lot more if she wasn't pregnant and married." Colt said to him.

"Why are you hung up on that?" Punk asked.

"Because it's a pretty big deal." Colt said to him. "Going after a married chick is one thing but one who is pregnant? That's a boat load of responsibility you don't want or need."

"She's not looking for me to play daddy to her kid." Punk told him.

"I know that. She's looking for money." Colt said to him.

"I offer her money all of the time." Punk reminded him.

"You're an idiot." Colt said to him.

"No I'm not so you should know that I'm not bullshitting you on this. She's a great girl." Punk insisted.

* * *

The next morning Punk was parked outside the diner before going in. He wanted to make sure AJ showed up for work. Sure enough he saw her coming down the street and jumped out of his car before she could go inside.

"AJ." He greeted and she looked away.

"Not now, Phil." She said turning around.

"What happened?" He asked walking around to face her and saw her fat lip. "He did that?"

"We got into a really big argument yesterday." She confided. "He wants this baby gone yesterday. I told him no. He wants to take me to the clinic for the abortion. We were supposed to go today but thank god he got called into work-"

"Your face." He said examining her lip.

"It doesn't even hurt." She said swatting his hand away. "I have big problems to worry about. He wanted this baby gone and I don't know how to get out of it."

"Tell him no." Punk said simply.

"It's so easy for you." She said eyeing him. "Big man with a lot of money. I don't have options, Phil!"

"Yes you do!" he yelled back. "I told you to let me put you up somewhere! You're choosing to stay!"

"He's going to track me down and he's going to cry and he's going to drag me back home-" She began.

"So stay with me." He offered. "He won't be able to get to you through me."

"Phil." She sighed. "I need real solutions."

"What can I do? Tell me exactly what you need and I'll do it." He told her.

"I don't know what I need but the last thing you need is to get in the middle of my mess." She told him. "You don't even know me!"

"I know you well enough." He said simply. "I know enough that I want to help you."

"No!" She yelled and began to walk inside but he grabbed her arm and she flinched in fear and he held his hands up.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He said quickly. "I would never put my hands on you like that." He assured her. "What are you going to do? Go back home and wait for him to drag you to the clinic? Or go hide out at your friends house and maybe get one of those girls hurt? You're a mother now." He reminded her and her face fell. "Your job is to protect that baby and going home to him is going to get you and that baby killed."

"So what do I do?" She asked.

"Come home with me." He offered. "He'll never in a million years look for you at my place he doesn't even know I exist unless-"

"Unless what?" She asked.

"I thought you missed work yesterday because he found out we kissed." Punk told her and she rolled her eyes.

"I'd be six feet underground right now if he saw us." She told him honestly.

"Let me take you home right now to pack a bag." He practically begged. "It doesn't have to be forever but until you can figure this out."

"He'll look for me here it's pointless." She told him.

"Call the police if he does that." He insisted. "He can't hurt you in a diner filled with people."

"Yes he can." AJ scoffed. "I need my job, Phil. If I leave home I have to leave here and I can't be out of work I'm preparing to have a baby all alone."

"I'll get you a job." Punk promised her.

"You're out of your mind." She told him.

"What are you going to do? Realistically when he takes you to the clinic?" He asked her.

"I don't know." She told him honestly.

"You're out of options here and I'm giving you a way out." He told her. "He's at work now so let's go pack up your crap and get you out of there."

"Ok." AJ said surprising him. He was right. Her back was against the wall and it was either take Punk up on his generous offer or let Cal bully her into giving up her child.

"Come on." he said walking her to her car and opening his door for her.

"Work though-" She began.

"Call them from the car, they'll understand." He said ushering her inside.

* * *

Punk walked into AJ's small apartment behind her and he felt the chills. Literally it was freezing in the apartment. He could tell AJ kept the place clean but it was cold and not just physically. There was no paint or warm photos anywhere. It was clearly lived in but you wouldn't think it was a married couple.

"He didn't get this." AJ said reaching into the freezer and pulling out a few more bucks that Cal didn't find. "Here." She said passing him the money.

"What?" He asked confused.

"If you're going to help me you're going to take money from me." She informed him and he rolled his eyes. "Take it!" She demanded and he took it. "I'll be a few minutes I don't have much." She said rushing into the bedroom.

Punk saw all the beer cans in the garbage and knew that Cal was a drinker. He reminded him a lot of his dad. He saw his childhood in this apartment, minus the mom part. His mom was also an addict and battled her own demons but she never stood up to his father. AJ was already stepping for the child she wasn't sure even wanted. She was brave. She worked her ass off for change. She didn't just sit there and become a victim.

"I know it's not much." AJ said walking out of the bedroom with a big bag and Punk took it from her. "But it was home."

"I'm sure it." Punk forced out. "Do you need anything else?"

"Just my clothes." She shrugged. "I don't want to keep any memories from here."

"Let's get the hell out of here." Punk said nodding for her to walk ahead of him.

* * *

Later that night AJ was in the guest room Punk had assigned to her and was sitting on the bed with a blank stare with her bag next to her.

"You can unpack." Punk told her from the doorway.

"Am I doing the right thing?" She asked as the shock of what she did began to hit her.

"What do you think?" He asked leaning the door frame with his arms folded. "Did you have other options?"

"No." She admitted. "He's going to be so pissed off."

"Good." Punk nodded. "He still won't find you here."

"What if he does?" She asked.

"Then I'll handle it." He said to her with a shrug.

"I just don't think putting you in the middle is the right thing to do." She told him. "Maybe you should go back to Milwaukee to train and I'll get a motel-"

"I'm not leaving you here alone." He laughed. "I'm going to look out for you and this kid."

"Why?" she asked.

"You just need a little support, I went through a time like that and I'm forever grateful for the people that took me in and took care of me." He told her. "We all have times like this."

"I doubt that." AJ said bitterly. "I'm scared."

"I know." He whispered.

"I didn't want to be a mom." She confided. "I thought when I escaped from Cal it would be because I was doing something great."

"You are doing something great, you just don't realize it yet." He told her.

"What if I can't do this?" She asked.

"You can." He said simply walking into the room and sitting next to her on the bed. "I wanted to apologize for the other day."

"What happened the other day?" She asked.

"That kiss." He said to her.

"You mean the kiss that I planted on you?" She asked amused. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"I think I scared you a bit." He told her and she rolled her eyes.

"I should be apologizing but I'm not going to." She told him bluntly. "I liked the kiss." She told him honestly. "It was the best kiss of my life."

"Really?" Punk asked amused.

"I've only ever kiss Cal." She shrugged. "I had nothing to compare it to."

"AJ-" He began but stopped himself.

"I don't mean to weird you out." She told him.

"You didn't weird me out." He assured her.

"I'm a married pregnant woman who clearly has issues and-" She began to ramble but he grabbed her face and kissed her.

He knew this was way over his head. This was a woman who was carrying her husbands child and he didn't even know too well. He loved kissing her the other day and wanted to do it again but was he taken advantage of a clearly bad situation? AJ was eager to return the kiss to him in the meantime and that caused him to forget all about his hesitations.

"Hey man, I was just-" a voice said and Punk and AJ jumped apart. "Holy shit." Colt said.

"It's a friend of mine." Punk told AJ as he stood up. "Colt this is AJ."

"No kidding." Colt said eyeing the petite woman he was sure was hustling his friend. "Don't you have a husband?"

"Colt." Punk scolded.

"No, it's alright." AJ said to Punk as she stood up and cleaned off her mouth.

"Give me a minute." Punk said pushing Colt out of the room. "Don't just barge into my house."

"I have a key for a reason." Colt argued. "Are you out of your mind? You're moving her in?"

"Did you see her face?" Punk asked and Colt shook his head. "A busted lip from her husband."

"Jesus, Punk." Colt said shaking his head. "What are you fucking thinking? Are you that fucked up from this loss that you have a death wish?"

"A death wish? I've seen her husband I can take him." Punk said and Colt shook his head.

"You don't know this woman!" Colt argued.

"I do!" Punk laughed loudly. "And I know she's scared and alone and I'm going to help her and if you can't be quiet about it then you can get the fuck out."

"I'm trying to help YOU!" Colt argued.

"Help me by minding your own god damn business." Punk snapped.

* * *

A few minutes later Punk walked back into AJ's room and she was laying in bed under the covers.

"I don't want to cause tension between you and your friend." AJ told him.

"He's protective of me." He said to her.

"He should be. You have no idea the trouble I could bring down on you." She warned him.

"I don't mind. I've been bored." he teased. "I hope you're not going to sleep."

"We should probably not be awake right now." She said and he laughed.

"I promise to behave myself as long as you come downstairs to eat." He told her.

"Eat?" She asked sitting up.

"Yea, you know that stuff you need to stay alive? Food." He teased.

"I'll make you whatever you want." She said jumping out of the bed and he eyed her as if she was crazy.

"I'm cooking." He told her. "I don't want to brag but I make a really good at making personal pizza's."

"You cook?" She asked in disbelief.

"Of course I cook." He scoffed. "I'm a damn good cook."

"I've never had anyone cook for me." She nearly laughed.

"Seriously? Well you're in for a treat." He said leading her out of the bedroom.


	5. Relief

**A/N: I'm glad you all are enjoying the story! Thank you for your reviews!**

* * *

 **Relief**

* * *

One day turned into three days which turned into a week which turned into two week which turned into six weeks. Six weeks is exactly how long AJ had been staying with Punk. Cal had tried his hardest to track her down. He was banned from the diner after showing up day in an day out causing a scene looking for her so she did go back to work there once she felt he gave up on it. She had told him over the phone she packed up and went back to New Jersey to raise their child, he told her he'd kill her if he found her. She had Punk call in and Cal hadn't been to work since she left so she knew after trying the diner so many times and their phone call he went back to New Jersey himself to look for her.

"You're still barely showing." Aimee frowned.

"Yea." AJ said seeing her nonexistent bump. "I mean when I'm in the shower I see it. Phil swears he see's it right after I eat too."

"Phil." Aimee forced out and AJ eyed her.

"What?" AJ asked tilting her head.

"You're still staying with him, right?" She asked.

"I am. He's been unbelievable. His house is so big we barely see each other anyway." She told Aimee who nodded.

"He's really taken to you." Aimee noted with a smirk.

"He feels like he rescued me. He loves saving a damsel in distress." AJ shrugged.

"Are you two sleeping together?" Aimee asked bluntly.

"No." AJ told her honestly.

"Seriously? You're living with that hot guy and there's NO sex?" Aimee asked stunned.

"No sex." AJ said shaking her head.

"Cal is gone." Aimee reminded her. "What are you waiting for?"

"Cal isn't gone for good, I'm still legally married and I'm pregnant with my husbands child." AJ told her. "Besides I don't know if he'd even want to sleep with me. I'm a disaster."

"You are not and you are one hot mama." Aimee told her proudly and AJ blushed. "I mean it!"

"We kiss sometimes." AJ admitted quietly.

"Now we're talking." Aimee nodded fondly.

"But I don't want to weird out this situation by having sex just because I'm horny." AJ whispered to her. "Phil has been so good to me and I really need his help and I don't want to screw it up by mixing sex into it. What I need to do is focus on saving up enough money to get my own apartment so I could get out of his hair."

"I don't think you're a bother." Aimee laughed. "He seems to like having you around."

"He's just lonely." AJ shrugged.

"What's his story anyway? Some lonely millionaire with no friends?" Aimee asked.

"He has friends and they don't like me." AJ told her. "Well, just one of them doesn't. Thinks I'm using him."

"He doesn't know you." Aimee said simply. "Don't let that bother you."

"Phil keeps buying me all of these baby books though." AJ told her.

"Are you getting a little more excited?" Aimee asked hopefully.

"A little." AJ had to admit with a slight smile. "Phil does a really good job at getting through to me and assuring me I can do this."

"You were lucky to find him." Aimee told her. "So you won't get mad if Celeste and I threw you a baby sure?"

"I'm only four months pregnant." She reminded Aimee.

"I know but these things take time and we wanted to start planning it but we weren't sure how your head space was about all of this." Aimee told her.

"Well, this baby is coming whether I'm ready or not." AJ said simply. "And I'm going to work really hard at being a good mother."

"You will be." Aimee told her. "Are you still planning on going to Puerto Rico?"

"Not currently." She admitted surprising her friend. "I have no job out there and right now with my situation I'm in a good enough place to save up some money since Phil never takes money from me and really focus on a plausible future."

"Interesting." Aimee smirked.

"What?" AJ asked.

"Phil is really giving you a reason to stay, that's all." Aimee teased.

"No, I mean he is. He's really become one of my best friends." AJ told her and she just nodded. "It really isn't like that. He's been great to me and I'm gotten  
very used to him." AJ told her.

"I bet you have." Aimee teased.

"Shut up." AJ said laughing and walking away to tend to her customers.

* * *

AJ walked in the front door of Punk's house and gasped as she made her way up the stairs and into the living room.

"What do you think?" Punk asked gesturing to the huge Christmas tree.

"It's huge!" AJ grinned clapping her hands together.

"Yea well since you're here and it's technically the baby's first Christmas you should have a good tree." Punk said to her. "And it's a live one or fresh one or whatever you call it." he shrugged.

"This is amazing!" She cheered racing over to it. "Once we get some lights on it and ornaments it's going to be the prettiest tree ever!"

"I'm glad you like it." he said to her as she removed her jacket. "How are you feeling today?"

"Good." She told him. "I just had to stay away from the tuna sandwiches because they we're making me gag."

"They'd make me gag too." He said to her. "Anything from Cal?"

"Not a peep in weeks." She told him and he nodded. "So, are you going to your family's for Christmas?"

"I usually do but this year they're going up to a family cabin and I'm not up for it." He told her.

"I hope you're not staying back because of me." She said to him.

"Not at all." he lied.

"Cal never let me have a tree." AJ told him as she ran her fingers over the branches gently. "This will be my first tree in a really long time."

"Good." Punk said to her. "Mine too." he informed her. "I was usually traveling and just go to a friends or my moms."

"We should have a nerd tree." She told him seriously and he laughed.

"Nerd tree?" He asked amused.

"Yea get like video game and comic ornaments." She told him eagerly.

"I did get one ornament early." He said passing her a box and she opened it eagerly and frowned when she saw it was a baby ornament.

"A pink bottle?" She asked.

"I still think you're having a girl even though you have no interest in finding out what you're having." He told her.

"That's very sweet thank you." She said putting the ornament away in the box.

"I thought you'd be more excited about the baby with Cal gone for now." He noted.

"I am. But this baby is part him and what if it comes out and I see it and I hate it like I hate him?" She asked seriously.

"That's not possible." He said shaking his head. "You have way too big of a heart and I have a feeling this baby is going to look like you and the minute she's placed into your arms you're going to melt."

"I don't know how to be a parent." She reminded him.

"Nobody does." He told her. "You learn as you go I guess. You're smart, you're strong, you'll have it figured it out when the time comes."

"I hope so." She sighed a bit sitting on the couch. "So, what do you want for Christmas?"

"I don't want anything." He told her.

"I have to get you something. You've generously being letting me live here." she pointed out.

"Yea and I didn't do that for presents. I did it because it was the right thing to do and I kind of like having you around. This place is too big for just me and Larry." He told her.

"I'm growing spoiled. I've been looking at apartments out here-" She began.

"Already?" he asked.

"I mean yea. I can't stay here forever." She laughed a bit. "There's a building two blocks down from where I used to live that's very reasonable."

"You can't live in that neighborhood with a newborn." Punk snorted. "Do you know how many people get shot over there?"

"Do you know how many people get shot in Chicago in general?" She quipped back.

"That area is no good and Cal will be back and you want to be right under his nose?" Punk asked her.

"I mean, I can't hide here forever." She told him.

"You could if you wanted." He offered. "Like I said I have a lot of room."

"No, I think the last thing you need is a baby keeping you up all hours of the night and watching me pull my hair out in the corner of the nursery." She teased and he just nodded along. "I really have to start considering Puerto Rico."

"But your grandparents might not even take you in." Punk argued lightly.

"No they might not, but things are a lot cheaper in Puerto Rico." She pointed out.

"But you don't have friends there like you do here." Punk countered and AJ had to smile a bit at him. "I mean I'm retired I can help out whenever. And Celeste and Aimee have already said they'd help. You won't have that in Puerto Rico."

"I need to stop depending on people." She told him.

"But you also need to accept help when offered." He told her.

"I think living here with you has been me doing that." She smirked. "You saved my life." She told him sincerely. "And this baby's life. You don't even realize what a hero you are to us."

"Anybody would have done the same thing." He said brushing it off.

"Not true." She said shaking her head. "You're an amazing man I hope you get the chance to have your own family and go back to the career you love because you deserve it."

"I'm happy and content with the way things are for me." he lied through his teeth.

"Right." She snorted a laugh and stood up.

* * *

Later that night Punk was laying awake in bed looking at the ceiling fan. He didn't even have Larry around since with AJ there Larry opted to stay with her in her room most nights, he didn't blame the dog. Punk knew deep down as the weeks went on he was getting far too attached to a wife that wasn't his and a baby that he didn't father. But he really didn't like the idea of AJ moving out he cringed when she mentioned it. He didn't even know how to ask her to stay without sounding insane.

"Phil?" AJ's voice fearfully rang out and he shot up and saw her in his doorway.

"Something wrong?" Phil asked eyeing her.

"I think something is wrong with it." She told him nervously.

"It? The baby?" He asked getting out of the bed.

"I'm spotting and I don't have a regular doctor call." She told him as he grabbed his sweatshirt and sneakers.

"I'll take you to the hospital." He told her urgently. "Are you in pain?"

"Not really, so maybe it's nothing?" She suggested as he raced her out of the doorway and helped her down the stairs.

"You don't know that." Punk said to her. "Let a doctor tell you. Are you sure you don't feel anything?"

"Not really." She shrugged putting on her jacket.

"Well let's just be sure and double check at the hospital." He said ushering her out the door.

* * *

AJ was sitting up in a bed in the ER as Punk fidgeted with his hands.

"You're nervous." She noted looking over to him.

"So are you." He pointed out.

"Am not." She huffed defensively.

"Not one witty or sarcastic comment the entire time we've been here." Punk pointed out. "And you keep twirling the ring on your index finger, you're nervous."

"Maybe a tad." She admitted quietly. "I shouldn't be bleeding, right?"

"You heard the doctor it's common." He said to her and that's when two people walked in.

"Your test results seem fine." The doctor told her. "We're going to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby is ok though."

"Ok." AJ said pulling her shirt up and the nurse applied the gel.

"Are you family?" The doctor asked Punk.

"He can stay." AJ said told him.

"Ok." The doctor said moving the camera over her stomach. "There's the little baby." He said pointing to the screen.

"It's getting big." AJ noted with wide eyes. "Right? Last time we saw it it was like the size of a jelly bean!"

"Yea definitely bigger." Punk noted standing up and looking at the screen.

"Heartbeat is strong." The doctor noted. "Baby seems to be on mark."

"Good." AJ said looking away.

"Look, AJ." Punk encouraged and she looked back. "That's your kid in there."

"When was the last time you saw your OBGYN?" The doctor asked her.

"I go to the free clinic." She told the doctor who nodded. "When did we go last?" she asked Punk.

"That was the last time you went?" Punk asked surprised. "That was like two months ago."

"You need to see your doctor again just for normal checkups." The doctor told her and she nodded. "You have insurance, use it." she just nodded. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Nope." AJ said to him.

"What about dad?" The doctor asked Punk who froze.

"We're good." AJ answered for him. "Thank you."

"See, you're all good." Punk told her as the doctor left.

"I knew it was fine." She said jumping off the table. "I'm ready to get out of here."

"Do you want the sonogram?" He asked passing it to her and she reluctantly took it. "This is baby is more than just being Cal's." He reminded her. "I know this isn't easy but this is baby is yours and yours alone."

"What do I tell it when it asks about its father?" AJ asked Punk. "Sorry but daddy wanted you dead so I ran away from his abusive grasp so I can raise you half assed."

"It takes more than DNA to be a dad." Punk told her. "Being a dad isn't about the science it's about the role you play."

"Yea." AJ nodded slowly.

"You have to be both mom and dad and it's not going to be easy but you will do it and you will be fucking amazing." He told her and she gave him a scared light smile. "I mean it."

"You should have kids." AJ said putting on her jacket.

"Like I said, I'm waiting for the right one to have kids." He said to her "I don't know if I'll even find her."

"I think you will." AJ replied simply. "It would be a waste."

"Let's get back home." He said placing his arm around her.

"You're relieved." She noted as they walked out together.

"You are too." He replied.


	6. Found Out

**Found Out**

* * *

 _ **Seven months pregnant:**_

"I don't understand what I'm doing here." AJ said to Punk as they walked into the birthing class.

"Your doctor said you should go to these." He told her. "I'll pick you up after."

"You're leaving me here along?" She asked stunned. "Look at all of these weirdos." She whispered looking around at all the happy couples. "Everyone has a partner."

"You want me to stay?" He asked and she nodded hopefully. "I don't know anything about this." he said walking into the room with her.

"Me either." She hissed back.

"Did you bring a pillow?" the instructor asked AJ and Punk.

"No." AJ said to her. "I'm sorry I got dragged here by someone who knows even less about all of this than I do."

"Don't you worry we have extras." The instructor smiled and pointed.

AJ and Punk found a spot on the floor and AJ's face was completely uncomfortable. This was not for her. Group activities like this was just not her thing.

"Your first?" An overly friendly blonde woman and her husband who was dressed in a suit asked AJ as she and Punk sat down on a mat with a pillow.

"Yup." AJ replied as unenthusiastically as possible.

"This is our fourth." She told AJ gleefully.

"So you really don't need this class." AJ noted and the woman laughed. "You're a professional by now."

"My husband loves these classes." The woman told AJ happily.

"Right." AJ forced out with a slight roll of her eyes.

"You and your husband know what you're having?" The woman asked and AJ was now growing annoyed by her.

"This isn't my husband this is my friend." AJ informed her.

"I'm not judging." The woman assured her. "Families comes in all shapes and sizes."

"I do have a husband. But he's insane he wanted me to kill my baby so my friend here took us in." AJ told her bluntly. "My husband is probably in some bar right now crying about how I took off and he can't find me." she shrugged.

"Right." The woman said with a nervous laugh. "Let's sit over there." The woman told her husband and Punk let out a laugh.

"You sure know how to scare people off." Punk teased.

"Nosy bitch." AJ muttered under her breath. "I guess this makes you my birthing coach."

"I mean, you need someone in the room with you right?" Punk asked her.

"I don't know." She said thinking about it. "I assumed I'd do it alone."

"You don't have to." Punk offered. "I'll get you water and stuff." he said and she smirked.

"I'd like that." She smiled a bit. "You have been this baby's number one supporter."

"You've been this baby's number one supporter whether you want to admit it or not." Punk corrected. "I've been number two." he teased.

"This baby deserves to see someone that doesn't resent it." She told him and he eyed her.

"You don't resent your child." Punk told her.

"Sometimes I do." She said to him.

"A few more weeks and you're going to be holding her and you're going to feel a lot different." Punk told her and she smiled.

"You still think it's a girl?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Yup." Punk told her.

"You know I've been so afraid about liking my baby and trying to be a parent that the realization of pushing a human body out of my little tiny body is starting to hit me." She told him.

"Women do it everyday." He said with ease.

"Spoken like someone who never has to worry about it." She mocked.

"I suppose I don't." He agreed.

"We're going to start with a birthing video." The instructor told them and AJ's face fell.

"I think this was a bad idea." AJ whispered to Punk.

"Birth is natural and beautiful." Punk assured her and she rolled her eyes.

"How many babies have you seen born?" She asked him.

"Well when my sister had her baby I visited the day after." He told her and she rolled her eyes.

"So none." She laughed,

"Almost one." He told her.

"Oh god." AJ nearly cried watching the home birthing video.

"Oh...wow." Punk forced out. "It's beautiful."

"It's awful! Shut up." AJ scolded.

* * *

Later that night they walked back into his house and Colt was sitting in the living room.

"Hey." Punk greeted.

"Not here for you." Colt said holding up a bag. "For you." he said passing AJ a bag.

It took a few months but Colt came around to AJ, so much so that Punk was convinced that Colt liked AJ better than him.

"For me? Or a dumb baby gift?" She asked seriously and he laughed.

"Dumb baby gift" He confirmed. "I couldn't resist." Colt said to her and Punk.

"It's a little baby Cubs hat." AJ said holding it up.

"In pink." He pointed out proudly.

"We don't know if it's a girl." AJ reminded him.

"It's a girl." Colt and Punk said at the same time.

"Thanks Colt." She said giving him a hug. "I don't know how I'm going to fit all of this baby crap in my new place."

"New place?" Punk asked.

"You're leaving?" Colt asked as well.

"Yea I mean I can't stay here." She said to them.

"Why?" Punk asked.

"You don't want some stranger living here with her baby." AJ laughed a bit.

"You're not a stranger." Punk said following her into the kitchen. "You can't afford a place."

"I can in a cheap area." She told him.

"Or you can stay here rent free." He offered. "At least until-"

"Until what? It turns 18?" She laughed.

"If you wanted." He said seriously. "All the baby stuff is here."

"It's just a few gifts from the shower. Clothes and stuffed animals." She told him.

"I ordered a crib." He told her and she eyed him.

"You did?" She asked.

"Yea I mean I assumed you'd be here at least for a little while." He said to her. "I didn't want you to come home and not have space for the baby."

"Phil." She sighed.

"I mean if you truly can't stand the sight of me then go." He said half kidding.

"You know it's not that." She whispered looking at him. "You're the only good thing I've gotten out of coming to Chicago."

"Look." He said grabbing her hand and leading her upstairs.

"What's this?" She asked as he walked her into an empty room.

"I emptied it out." He said putting on the light. "It was just a guest room anyway but it's right next door to your room."

"You painted it." AJ said noting the light green paint.

"It's gender neutral." He shrugged. "I mean for the time being of course I don't want you to feel like I'm Cal and forcing you to stay."

"You are NOT Cal." AJ said seriously. "I just know you had a life before meeting me."

"I didn't." He admitted. "I didn't have much to look forward to and now at least my days are occupied."

"What color crib?" She asked placing her hand over her stomach.

"What?" He asked.

"The crib you ordered." She clarified.

"So you'll stay?" He asked hopefully.

"I mean, as long as you know what you've gotten yourself into." She said to him. "If this kid is anything like me she's going to be a handful."

"I'm looking forward to it." he told her honestly.

"So the baby gets it's own room." AJ smirked looking around. "It's bigger than mine." She teased.

"Well, the baby deserves a big room." He shrugged. "It's just wasted space here."

"Can you make me a promise?" She asked and he eyed her.

"What's that?" he asked.

"If Cal comes back-" She began.

"Have you heard from him?" he asked.

"No but he's going to find me eventually." She told him. "Promise you'll take care of it. Make sure he doesn't get near it."

"Where will you be?" He asked.

"I'd probably be dead." She shrugged.

"You speak of it as if it's nothing." He said to her.

"I don't have family and many friends. You and it are all I have right now. I know you'll make sure it's ok." She told him.

"Cal isn't going to get to you." Punk told her simply. "Or this baby."

"He hates it." AJ reminded Punk. "He hated it so much and you've embraced it."

"It's just an innocent baby." He defended quietly.

"You care about it I can see that." She told him. "And I know you won't let Cal get near it-"

"I don't want to think about this." He told her honestly. "I'm going to have your back no matter what and the baby's back." He assured her. "Don't worry about anything."

"I know." She said to him.

"Let me tell you what else I ordered." He said to her and she smiled.

"You ordered more stuff?" She asked.

"Of course." He scoffed. "Consider it my baby gift to you."

"Your baby gift? I assumed letting me live here throughout my pregnancy was the gift." She said.

"Nah, you living here doesn't cost me a thing. So I got the crib and a dresser we- you- can put her clothes and a diaper changing table." He told her and she smiled. "I thought you could do that against the wall because you don't want the crib or the changing table near the window."

"Drafts." AJ nodded in agreement.

"And I got this big rocker that pulls out in case you need to sleep in here." He told her.

"That was very thoughtful." She smiled.

"And I have everything coming not assembled." he told her and her face fell. "I have free time I want to put it all together."

"Oh, Phil." She frowned.

"I can put things together." he defended.

"Not well." She teased. "I thought you'd be back to training."

"Nope." he said simply.

"I hope me and it aren't you coming here." She said to him.

"You're not." he told her. "I'm just not ready." He shrugged.

"I saw your fights." She told him and he looked at her. "They weren't that bad."

"They were bad." He said coldly.

"You just need more practice." She told him. "And you're not practicing here."

"I don't want to." He told her. "I don't have to. I'm retired and don't need to work." he told her. "I'm lucky."

"You are but you're also bored and not happy." She pointed out.

"I'm very happy." He corrected. "Happiest I've been in a long time."

"You sure about that?" She asked.

"Very sure." He said to her. "So, you like it the room for the baby?"

"I didn't think it would get it's own room so it's awesome." She told him.

"Have you thought of names? Or are you naming your child after a killer clown?" He asked seriously.

"Well I'm terrified of clowns and this thing growing inside of me so I guess it would be fitting." She shrugged and he glared at her. "No I haven't. When I see it I'll think of it."

"Alright." he said.

* * *

AJ was at the diner sitting at the counter groaning as she rubbed her stomach.

"You shouldn't show up here all gross and pregnant." the owner, Moe, told her. "You're scaring customers."

"Scaring them into giving me great tips." AJ grinning counting her money.

"Seriously we need to discuss when you're leaving." He said to her.

"I'm not leaving." She said to him.

"I mean for you to have the baby." Moe said. "There will be a job waiting for you when you're ready to get back but you're pretty pregnant."

"I have a few more weeks." AJ informed him.

"I don't want you having a baby in my diner." Moe warned her.

"I won't." AJ argued. "I need to work. I have a baby on the way."

"I get that, again you have this job waiting for you." Moe reminded her

"AJ." Celeste called out and AJ looked over to her fearful face.

"Apey." Cal greeted walking into the diner and AJ's face fell. She instinctively covered her stomach. "I'm so sorry-"

"Stop." AJ warned jumping out of her seat.

"You need to leave." Moe warned him.

"You want this baby? That's fine." Cal said with a smile as he cried. "I accept you accepting this kid." he told her cupping her face and AJ began to cry. "We can fix all of this-"

"Don't touch me." AJ warned jerking away.

"Baby, please." Cal pleaded reaching for her again.

"Get back." Celeste warned standing in front of AJ.

"I went to New Jersey and when I couldn't find you I went all the way to Puerto Rico!" Cal yelled. "You didn't even leave me a note!"

"Please, Cal-" AJ began.

"Please nothing!" He yelled grabbing her arm after nudging Celeste out of the way. "You can't just leave me! You made vows!"

"Let go of me!" She yelled.

"Take your hands off of her." An officer ordered and AJ remembered there were two police officers having lunch inside before Cal ran in. They were regulars and they would protect her.

"She's my wife." Cal told the officer not letting go of her.

"I don't care." The officer said in a warning voice.

"Please make him leave." AJ whispered to the cops as Cal let her go.

"She has a legal obligation to me." Cal argued to the officers. "She has an obligation to be my wife until death do us part!"

"I need to leave." AJ whispered to Moe who nodded.

While Cal argued with the police officers AJ slipped out the back and jumped on the bus and headed back to her real home, with Punk.

* * *

AJ rushed into the house out of breath and ran up the stairs. She knew Punk was home since all of his cars were in the garage.

"Hey, it looks bad but I'm getting there." He assured her as she walked into the nursery and saw the crib in the same pieces it was in when she left for work.

"Phil." She sobbed and wrapped her arms around him.

"What's wrong?" He asked dropping everything in hands and hugging her.

"Cal." She cried into his chest. "He was at the diner."

"Are you alright?" he asked pulling away to inspect her.

"Yes. Cops were there when he caused a scene and I snuck away." She cried. "He-"

"It's alright." Punk said pulling her against his chest.

"He's back." She whispered fearfully.

"That's alright." Punk said with ease.

"You can't let him get it." She told him looking up at him. "Promise me!"

"I promise." He swore.

"He can't have her." AJ whispered.

"He doesn't want her." Punk reminded her.

"I know him he's spiteful." She warned him.

"He won't get to her." Punk promised again.

"Can I borrow some money?" She asked pulling away and he eyed her. "I would never ask and you've done more than enough but I have to get out of town-"

"You can't leave town you're too pregnant." He pointed out. "You won't be safe on your own you're safe here, with me."

"He's going to-" She began.

"Do nothing." He said cutting her off. "You're safe here." he promised her.


	7. Classic

**Classic**

* * *

AJ was nine months pregnant. She never returned to the diner after seeing Cal and laid low out of fear of running into him again. She knew she couldn't avoid him forever, he was still legally her husband but right now she tried to focus on the baby.

Punk had set up the nursery finally for "it" and it was gorgeous. He truly went above and beyond for the baby. If AJ had ever truly wanted a child she knew Punk would have been the kind of man she'd want to have a family with. He was annoyingly protective, constantly reminding her to not eat just junk food and he wouldn't let her do a thing. He had a cleaning staff so she didn't have to clean and he cooked. This was a whole new world for AJ and she was growing spoiled.

As the baby got bigger and the due date was rapidly approaching she began writing letters to "it". She wanted the baby to truly understand why she felt the way she did in case she didn't attach to the baby like Punk and Colt and Celeste had promised she would. She also didn't want "it" to make the same mistakes she made in life. She didn't want this child to ever live in fear or depend on a man.

"What are you doing?" Punk asked turning on the nursery light.

"Writing a letter to it." She told him.

"With no lights?" He asked.

"Night light was on." She shrugged.

"You feeling ok?" he asked with a yawn.

"Yea." She nodded closing her notebook. "A little gassy." she shrugged.

"Contractions?" he asked.

"Maybe." She said to him. "Nothing I can't handle."

"What are you writing to her?" Punk asked.

"It's kind of like a long apology letter." She told him.

"Apology for what?" he asked sitting on the floor as she sat in the rocking chair.

"For not wanting her like I should." She told him.

"You want her." He told her surely. "You could have had an abortion, you could have taken the easy way out. You didn't keep her for religious purposes, you didn't keep her because it would make your husband happy, you did it because you love her."

"We'll see about that." She muttered.

"What are you so afraid of?" He asked her.

"Nothing." She said quickly.

"You won't let yourself be excited and I don't understand why." He said to her. "You have a place to live, you're healthy-"

"I have a husband." She reminded him. "And he's not going away."

"Don't let him take away this moment from you." Punk insisted. "You have kept this child with you for nine months and helped it grow, you're going to be raising her, you deserve to be excited."

"You've been too kind to me." She told him. "If I didn't have you I don't know where I'd be."

"You'd be fine." He told her. "But you don't have to worry about that."

"I wrote it a note and told her that you'd be in her life and she should hold onto you and when she's older she should find someone like you." She told him and smirked. "You're going to part of her life whether you expected it or not because she's been listening to you for nine months read her comics and sing really bad songs."

"I'm fine with that." Punk smirked.

"I wish-" She began but stopped as a sharp pain hit her.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked standing up.

"I think my water broke." She told him and he helped her up.

"Where's your bag?" He asked.

"I didn't pack the stupid bag." She said and he glared at her.

"AJ, we agreed you had to pack a hospital bag." He scolded.

"Now isn't the time." She reminded him as he helped her out of the nursery.

* * *

AJ insisted Punk stay in the room with her during the labor. He had been the one going to her appointments, found her an amazing doctor (and paid for it) and even took the birthing classes with her. He deserved to be there for 'it's birth.

Labor was eight hours long and AJ was miserable but Punk tried his best to keep her spirits high. When she finally had her last push the hospital room was filled with the child's cries. AJ gasped for air as she just did the most physically painful and exhausting thing a human could do. She looked up and saw the doctors cleaning her child off.

"It's a girl." Punk told her happily. "Just like I told you."

"Why did they take her? I didn't even get to hold her." AJ frowned trying to sit up. The gripping loss of the child from her felt terrible. She spent nine months with her child and now she was gone and crying and AJ needed to hold her. "Give her to me." AJ demanded and the nurse walked over and placed her in AJ's arms.

It was like the air was sucked out of AJ's lungs. She was real and she was here and she was perfect.

"She has all of her toes and fingers?" AJ asked Punk as she cried tears of happiness.

"Yea. And a healthy set of lungs." Punk smirked. "I'll give you two some time-"

"No." AJ said shaking her head and looking up at Punk with a smile. "She's so beautiful. You were right."

"I know." He smiled at her.

"Hold her." AJ insisted passing the baby to him and he took her. "She deserves to meet the man that kept her alive."

"Hi there, it." He greeted and AJ laughed through her happy tears.

"Do you have a name, Ms. Mendez?" The nurse asked.

"Yea." AJ said nodding. "Brooke. Brooke Mendez."

Punk looked over to her in awe.

"She deserves to be named after you." AJ told him. "Thank you." She said to Punk as he held onto baby Brooke tightly.

"She looks just like you." He told her with a smile. "I knew she would."

"She looks like a Brooke, right?" AJ asked and Punk nodded.

"You could name her book and it would fit her though." He teased. "She's perfect, AJ, you did great."

"She likes you." AJ noted with a smile. "She knows your voice."

"You remember me, kid?" Punk asked the newborn bouncing her a bit. "Huh?"

"Brooke Mendez." AJ smiled to herself. "I really like it."

"Here." He said passing the baby back to AJ. "I think she wants her mother."

"Hi, it." She smiled kissing the top of her daughters head.

AJ couldn't even begin to describe the bond she felt with this little girl. Brooke was apart of her and she was going to love her and take care of her and protect her. It was an instant connection, one she wasn't sure she'd ever feel for the child.

"Please stop calling her it." Punk pleaded gently.

"Brooke." She corrected. "You're not going to leave, right?" she asked Punk.

"No." He promised.

"She's everything." AJ said looking down at her daughter.

* * *

The baby was sleeping in the room with AJ when she heard the door open.

"Finally. My coffee." AJ grinned sitting up and opening her eyes but it wasn't Punk with her coffee, it was Cal. "Cal." AJ greeted coldly.

"April." Cal forced out. "That her?" He asked walking over to where the baby was sleeping and even though it was painful AJ jumped out of the bed and picked up Brooke before he could.

"I just wanna see her, Apey." Cal said but AJ held her close.

"She's mine." AJ told him. "She's not yours."

"I'm her father." Cal reminded her. "I'm her father and your husband and you've had your little fun living away. You proved your point you wanted to keep this kid and now we have to. Fine." He said simply. "But the you have to come home now, you and her."

"Her name is Brooke." AJ told him.

"Fine." Cal shrugged. "I don't care I'm just exhausted of this I've missed you so much baby." he said kissing her cheek as AJ cringed.

"I'm never going back there." AJ told him and he eyed her as if she was crazy.

"This was over the baby and you won! Congratulations!" He yelled and the baby began to stir in AJ's arms.

"This wasn't about the baby. That money you found was money I had been hiding for almost a year. I've hated you for years." She told him coldly. "I hate you so much that it makes me physically sick to my stomach. I want to vomit every time you try to touch me." She spat.

"Apey-" He began confused and hurt.

"I want a divorce." She announced and he eyed her with pain. "I want you out of my life and I don't want you within ten feet of my daughter. If you ever get this close to her again I will kill you." She stated calmly.

"April-" he began.

"Coffee is served." Punk announced walking into the room then spotted Cal.

"Cal was just leaving." AJ said walking back over to the bed with Brooke.

"I'm not going anywhere." Cal said to her. "That is my kid-"

"Get out." Punk told him and AJ felt at ease. She knew Punk wouldn't let him hurt her or Brooke.

AJ zoned out the argument, she couldn't hear a thing as she smiled down at her now awake but content daughter. She was going to be the most mother she could possibly be to this little girl who looked at her like she was her only hope in the world. She didn't even look up when she heard the doctor and some male orderlies rush into the room. They could hear Punk arguing with Cal and it was Cal who was being dragged out of the room.

"See? Phil took care of us." AJ told her daughter.

"You alright?" Punk asked slightly out of breath.

"We're perfect." She said with a smile looking up at him.

"He didn't-" He began.

"Did nothing." AJ assured him in the same happy voice. "He did wake Brooke up though."

"She seems unbothered." Punk noted. "That guy is a real piece of work."

"You finally met him." She teased.

"You two have a home with me forever if you need it." He told her with deep honesty. "Don't ever go back to him."

"Never." AJ said with a smile. "I told him I wanted a divorce. She's not going to have his name, she's never even going to know him. I want her to only feel love."

"Good." Punk said to her looking down at Brooke. "I have a lawyer."

"A lawyer?" She asked looking up at him finally.

"You can file for divorce, make sure you understand his legal rights-" he began.

"He has no rights to my daughter." AJ informed him.

"My lawyer will help see to that." Punk offered hopefully. "I'll call her right now."

"Call her." AJ nodded and Punk felt relief pump through his body.

"You got it." Punk said kissing the top of her head and AJ looked at him.

"Thank you for everything." She said to him and he leaned in and kissed her, it wasn't long but it was sweet and tender. "Thank you." She whispered again as he pulled away.

"We're here to see the baby!" Celeste announced walking into the hospital room with Aimee and Moe holding balloons.

"Look, Brooke." AJ smiled.

"I'm going to make that phone call." Punk told her and AJ nodded at him with a sweet smile.

"Oh she's beautiful!" Celeste nearly cried.

"I want to hold it." Moe said with no enthusiasm.

"Wash your hands first." Aimee warned him.

* * *

Punk stepped out of the hospital room and that's where he ran into Colt.

"I got a stuffed animal, that's ok right?" Colt asked.

"Hey, yea." Punk said pulling out his phone.

"Everything ok?" Colt asked.

"Yea. She's beautiful." Punk told him with a smile. "She named her after me."

"Yea? Phillina?" Colt teased.

"Brooke." Punk told him and Colt nodded.

"I'm happy for you." Colt said to him.

"For me? Why me?" Punk asked.

"You've been just as invested in this baby as she has. Whether you thought it or not you're going to play a major role in this child's life." Colt informed him.

"Her husband was here." Punk told him.

"He cause a scene?" Colt asked and Punk nodded.

"Got thrown out. Going to call my lawyer." Punk told him.

"The guy has rights." Colt reminded him.

"He's lucky he still has his fucking teeth forget his rights." Punk spat.

"I'm not saying he deserves his rights but she never reported him to the police." Colt reminded him. "As far as the law is concerned she abandoned him to live with some rich guy."

"That's not how it happened." Punk said to him coldly.

"Hey, I know that." Colt assured him. "The guy is a fucking monster and shouldn't be anywhere near AJ let alone this baby. Alls I'm saying is that the law might not be on your side."

"It's going to be on my side because unlike Cal I have money." He reminded Colt. "I'll have the best lawyers."

"Ok." Colt said simply. "I hope it's as easy as you think it will be."

"It will be." Punk said smugly.

* * *

A day later AJ walked into Punk's house holding Brooke in her arms.

"No, Larry." Punk scolded Larry who was scratching at AJ's leg.

"No we should introduce them." AJ insisted.

"Really?" Punk asked unsurely.

"I mean we're going to be here." She pointed out.

"Yes you are." Punk nodded surely.

"So, this was Larry's home first so he should meet Brooke." AJ said sitting on the couch and Larry jumped up after her.

"He doesn't like kids." Punk warned. "I got a baby gate to keep him out of your room and another one for the nursery and another one for when she's in the living room-"

"Or we can just train Larry to get along with her." AJ suggested with a smirk looking at him and he melted a bit.

"He's untrainable." He informed her and AJ rolled her eyes.

"You just don't try hard enough." AJ said to him. "Here Larry." AJ said as Larry began to sniff the baby. "That's Brooke." AJ told the dog happily. "Yea you two will get along just fine." she said.

"Don't let him lick her head." Punk groaned pushing the dog gently away from the baby.

"He likes her." AJ told him.

"Who wouldn't like her?" Punk asked teasingly.

"I have to run to the bathroom, could you hold her?" AJ asked and Punk happily took the baby from her.

"Hey, kid." Punk greeted the sleeping child. "I think you're really going to like it here. I don't want to brag but you're living in a two million dollar home and not many kids can say that." He informed her. "And you have a terrific mom. She already loves you more than anything. I knew she would." He added as AJ listened from the door with a smile. "And I'm not your dad but I'm going to make sure you're well taken care of." he promised her. "I'll make sure you always have a safe place to live and food on the table and again, I'm not trying to take over some role in your life." He said to the infant and AJ bit on her lip to stop herself from laughing. She loved how he was talking to her as if she had any idea what he was saying. "I mean you are named after me." He pointed out proudly. "I take that honor very seriously."

"She would say thank you if she knew how to talk." AJ teased walking over to him.

"Well, she doesn't have to thank me." Punk said to her.

"I want to thank you." AJ told him.

"I spoke to my lawyer and she's drawing up some papers." He told her. "Cal owes you alimony-"

"I don't want anything from him." She said shaking her head. "I want him out of my life and nowhere near Brooke. That's all I want."

"Alright." Punk said to her. "Did you put his name on the birth certificate?"

"Of course not." She said unpacking some of the babies things. "I hope we have everything."

"If we don't I'll send Colt for it." He smirked. "Or I could go, this is your kid-"

"I wouldn't be able to do this alone." She told him cutting him off. "I don't know what role you want in her life and I don't want to pressure you into anything or even thinking you need to have a role but she loves you." AJ told him and he looked down at the baby who was now awake and looking up at him. "You're better with her than I am."

"I want to be part of her life." He said to her. "How could I not be? Look at her."

"She's pretty great, isn't she?" AJ asked leaning over Punk's shoulder to see her.

"She is." Punk agreed looking at the little girl as if she was the Queen of England. "She's awesome."

"You say that now but she'll be screaming throughout the night and waking you up." She warned him.

"That's fine I'm a shitty sleeper anyway." Punk said with a smile.

"I'm still scared to do this." She warned him.

"You'll do fine." He said with ease. "You won't be alone either."

"I see that." She smiled a bit. "You ok with her if I set up my room? I need her to stay with me for a few weeks I'm not ready for her to be in the nursery or anything like that."

"Do whatever you have to." He said to her. "I've got her."

"You do." She agreed then walked off.

AJ set up a changing station in her room and blankets and extra pillows. She was feeling good being home, this was her home now, with Brooke and Punk. She walked back into the living room to grab some more things and saw Punk rocking her and had to snap a candid photo on the new camera Celeste had given her as a gift before Brooke was born. AJ was going to capture all these memories. Brooke was going to know she was wanted and loved.

* * *

The first night didn't go as smoothly as AJ had imagined. Brooke had been crying all night. AJ had tried feeding her, changing her, rocking her, singing to her, letting her cry out- nothing worked.

"I should have read more books about this." AJ cried to herself as Larry followed her pacing form.

"She still going, huh?" Punk asked.

"Yes." AJ sighed sadly. "Please help me I'm going to go crazy." She pleaded with Punk who took Brooke and she quieted in his arms.

"My baby loves you more than me." AJ frowned.

"I think she tired herself out." Punk smirked kissing the top of Brooke's head. "Isn't that right baby girl?" he asked her.

"Or you have the magic baby touch." AJ said climbing into bed. "I just need to lay down for a few minutes."

"Let her lay with you." Punk said placing her on the bed.

"What if she rolls off!" AJ said sticking her head up.

"Put pillows." Punk said to her. "She probably just wants to lay down and sleep but not be far from you."

"But what if she rolls into the pillow and suffocates?" AJ asked fearfully and Punk climbed into the bed on top of the sheets.

"I'll lay here to make sure she doesn't roll off or suffocate." He told her and AJ was at ease.

"Good man." AJ said laying on her side to look at her daughter. "She seems tired."

"She is." Punk said to her. "Babies tire themselves out."

"How do you know so much about kids?" AJ asked quietly as Brooke began to close her eyes.

"I have nephews." Punk reminded her. "A lot of my friends have kids."

"I don't see any Cal in her." AJ noted eyeing her daughter.

"I told you that you wouldn't." Punk said to her. "Your genes dominated."

"Thank god." AJ said relieved and Punk smirked. "I can't believe he didn't want her." she said eyeing the small baby. "He has no idea what he's missing out on."

"And he never will." Punk told her. "I'm going to get this paper work drawn up."

"Good." She said relieved. "I didn't think it was possible to love someone so selfishly." She said kissing the top of Brooke's head. "Even though she screams her head off."

"She's not half bad." Punk teased. "She's most pleasant when she's sleeping." he teased.

"You ain't kidding." AJ said seriously she looked over to Punk and he was perfect. He was everything she would write about in her dream journal when she was a kid. And the fact that he loved her daughter put it over the top. "Phil." She whispered and he looked over to her tiredly.

"Yea?" He asked in a whisper.

"That kiss yesterday." She said to him. The kiss after Brooke was born was the best kiss of her life. She wasn't sure if she was just emotional but she wanted him to know how she felt.

"I'm sorry I kind of jumped you." He said to her.

"Not at all." She said to him. "It was-" She stopped when she heard a loud bang and instinctively grabbed Brooke into her arms, waking her up. "What was that?" She asked.

"Stay in here." Punk told her as they heard Larry barking.

"Shh it's ok." She said to Brooke kissing her head as she cried.

Punk wandered down the hall and peered outside the front window when he heard yelling. He frowned when he saw Cal outside.

"She's my wife!" Cal yelled throwing a small stone at the window, that was the bang they heard earlier.

"Stupid son of a bitch." Punk muttered shaking his head and then headed down the stairs and opened the front door.

"You stay away from me!" Cal warned him and Punk held his hands up.

"You're vandalizing my home." Punk reminded him.

"You can't have them!" Cal yelled.

"Neither can you." Punk told him calmly as he approached him but Cal began to run fast in the other direction and Punk rolled his eyes. Couldn't chase the man when he didn't even have shoes on.

Punk walked back inside and saw AJ holding a crying Brooke.

"I should kill him for waking her." AJ said.

"He's a pussy." Punk said annoyed. "Remind me to call the cops in the morning."

"Can you come back in with us?" AJ asked hopefully. "She likes having you in the room with us."

"Yea." Punk said to her without hesitation.

"I wonder how he figured out I was here." She said to him as she laid Brooke in the bed and her cries dwindled as Punk laid next to them.

"I'm sure even a dumbass like Cal could figure it out. He recognized me in the hospital." He told her.

"He did?" AJ asked.

"You said he's seen UFC." Punk shrugged. "Quick google search and you know my address. A moron could figure it out."

"That's comforting." AJ sighed admiring Brooke.

"If you're more comfortable staying in a hotel I'll gladly get you a room." He told her. "I don't want you to feel unsafe but I promise you that he will never get in here."

"No. We like it here just fine." She told him.

"Good." Punk said with a little too much relief.

Punk waited a few minutes looking up at the ceiling before bringing the kiss up. He was wondering what she was going to say to him earlier about it. Clearly she didn't hate it but she was all over the place the woman just had a baby.

"AJ-" he began but then eyed her as he heard her lightly snoring. He looked down and saw Brooke was also sleeping finally. "That's classic." Punk said to himself with a chuckle.

* * *

 **A/N: I feel like with Brooke born the story can finally kick off. I was going to originally start the story at this point but it would have been heard to invest in the characters as much if I did that. Thanks for the reviews!**


	8. Adult Night

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I write so people will enjoy the stories and it does make me very happy that people can still pull up one of my stories and enjoy them. Thank you!**

* * *

 **Adult Night**

* * *

Six weeks came and went. Brooke was thriving in her home with AJ and Punk. Punk and AJ spoiled her completely. She was always being held and rocked to sleep every night. Punk would usually fall asleep in AJ's room because Brooke would only sleep if her and Punk were next to her. The relationship between Punk and AJ was still strictly platonic. They never bought that kiss at the hospital or all the kisses they shared before that.

With AJ taking Brooke to the doctor Punk had his place to himself for the first time in a long time. He offered to go to the doctor with them but AJ insisted he take some time for himself. The house was eerily quiet and he didn't like it. He was used to Brooke crying and AJ talking herself down from going mad from the crying. The second he turned on the TV he heard a voice.

"You should really change your locks." A familiar voice greeted and Punk froze.

He knew that voice all too well. He didn't even turn his head, he just switched off the TV and heard the footsteps get closer.

"Or if you won't change your locks at least request your keys back." The long red headed woman smiled as she stood before him.

"Hi, Amy." He forced out. "What are you doing here?"

"I had business." She shrugged.

"I didn't mean Chicago in general I meant my house." He said to her. "I know you're working with WWE and I know they have a show here this weekend."

"I haven't heard from you or seen you." Amy shrugged sitting down next to him. "Everyone is real worried about you. It's like you went missing after your last fight."

"I'm fine. So you can report back to the nosy people at WWE that I'm alive and well." He said to her. "That it?"

"I really am worried about you." Amy said to him.

"Don't be." He said simply and turned back on his TV.

"You seeing anybody?" She asked and he laughed a bit. "I don't mean it like that, I just want to make sure someone is taking care of you."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me." Punk informed her coolly. "I take care of myself."

"You need a good woman." Amy told her. " I told you this when we broke up."

"You told me this when I caught you in bed with Corey." Punk remarked. "How is your carbon copy version boyfriend of me?""

"He's fine." Amy sighed quietly. "He's been asking for you."

"He can go fuck himself. He's already fucked my girlfriend." Punk snorted.

"Corey and I are just friends." Amy said shaking her head. "What we did-"

"Was cheating." He told her bluntly. "And you being here right now is unnecessary. I don't need a reminder of a bad decision."

"You should talk to Vince." Amy whispered and Punk laughed.

"I knew you were here for some fucking reason." Punk said amused. "Give me key back too."

"He knows you must feel down and want to redeem yourself. He's willing to let bygones be bygones." Amy told him as he stood up aggravated.

"Is he now? He sued me and maneuvered that trial the week of my fight to fuck with me one last time." Punk spat.

"You're making up scenarios." Amy sighed.

"I really don't need this shit right now. I'm in a good place in my life." Punk told her and Amy eyed him as she stood up as well.

"No you're not. You lost your fight, you want train anymore, UFC fired you, WWE fired you-" She rambled.

"I'm rich." He reminded her with a laugh. "I don't have to work a day in my life. I'm retired and loving it. I have no one I have to explain myself to. I'm living my best life."

"You've been hiding in your house for almost a year now." Amy remarked.

"And I'm happy." He said simply.

"It's not healthy." Amy argued.

"I don't need you to give me advice on what is and what isn't healthy." Punk remarked coldly with a bitter laugh.

"Phil-" Amy began and that's when AJ walked in pushing Brooke in her stroller.

"Oh, sorry." AJ greeted nervously with a smile and Amy looked ready to faint.

"It's fine. She was leaving." Punk told AJ and then looked at Amy.

"Phil." Amy whispered stunned.

"I need to change Brooke anyway." AJ said to him brushing it off and quickly picked up Brooke from the stroller and headed up the stairs.

"What the hell is that?" Amy asked still stunned.

"That's AJ and Brooke." He told her simply.

"You have a child! How could you let this happen!" Amy yelled.

"Brooke isn't my daughter." Punk told her. "AJ is a friend and she's staying here." He told her as AJ listened from the top of the stairs.

"What? Who the hell is AJ? I know your friends Phil and I've never heard of AJ." Amy argued.

"We haven't spoken in years." Punk reminded her. "AJ is a new friend."

"And you moved her into your house?" Amy asked him slowly. "You wouldn't even let me move in!"

"AJ isn't a liar." Punk shrugged simply. "And the kid is cute."

"Brooke? She's named after you? "Amy asked and Punk didn't respond. "Jesus, Phil." She said in awe of him.

"What?" He asked simply. "They're great."

"They're great? You're playing house!" Amy yelled.

"Keep your voice down." Punk warned her.

"I will not!" Amy yelled and AJ rushed away from the stairs and into her room with Brooke. "These people aren't your friends!"

"You don't know them and you don't know me anymore. I'm not the same guy I was." He told her.

"You're insane." Amy said in disbelief. "Old Phil would have seen a scam artist coming from a mile away."

"She's not a scam artist. She's a decent fucking human who had no idea who I was and no idea what I left behind and didn't judge me." He told her.

"You don't even know her." Amy remarked.

"She's been living with me for almost a year now." Punk informed her proudly. "She's my best friend."

"You've lost it." Amy said grabbing her purse.

"Leave your key." He told her.

"Sure thing." Amy said taking it off the ring and throwing it at him before she walked out the door.

* * *

Punk walked upstairs and saw AJ placing Brooke in her crib.

"How did she do?" Punk asked.

"She was brave." AJ told him proudly. "I cried when she got her shot, she did not."

"She looks unfazed." Punk smirked looking down at the little girl who stole his heart. "Hey." He smiled and Brooke smiled .She LOVED Punk.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you and and your girlfriend." AJ told him.

"She's an ex-girlfriend." Punk told her. "For a long time actually. She was being nosy."

"She obviously still cares about you." AJ pointed out.

"No she doesn't. My old boss sent her to fish around." Punk told her.

"I really feel like I'm imposing on your social life." AJ admitted.

"I don't have a social life." he said bluntly and she laughed.

"You must have. You were this badass Wrestling champ, you're friends with all these rock stars." She pointed out.

"Right. But that isn't my life anymore." He said simply.

"You've been in every night with me since I've had Brooke you must be going crazy." She said to him.

"You must be going crazy." He countered.

"Believe it or not I didn't have much of a social life before Brooke as it was." She teased. "I do miss working. I want to go back soon."

"You need to have some sort of life, I need to have some sort of a life." He reasoned and she laughed.

"How do we make that happen?" She asked folding her arms.

"Let's go out." He suggested. "Let's go to the movies or see a show."

"Really?" AJ asked blushing a bit.

"Yea, why not? I mean I think we both deserve this." He reasoned

"What about Brooke?" AJ asked.

"Colt has been begging to watch her." Punk pointed out. "Adult night out, what do you say?"

"I really can't remember the last time I went out with out Cal or Brooke." She said to him.

"You need this night more than I do." He told her and she smiled.

"Ok." AJ said to him. "But is Colt capable of watching her?"

"Of course he is." Punk said to her. "He was coming by tonight anyway."

"Tonight?" She asked.

"Yea it's just a fun night out." He reminded her and she nodded.

"What should I wear?" She asked.

"Dress up." He encouraged and her eyes lit up. "I have a feeling you never really got the chance to."

"Last time I dressed up was my wedding." AJ said thinking about it. "I'm being serious."

"That's sad." He laughed.

"I don't have anything dressy." AJ frowned. "Oh! That dress show down the street-"

"Go, I'll watch Brooke." He told her and she kissed his cheek.

"I'm actually really excited about this!" She said clapping her hands together eagerly and it made him smile. "I'm more excited that you volunteered to watch Brooke now because she stinks and really needs that diaper changed." She said running out of the room and he laughed.

"Your mom thinks she's a comedian." Punk said looking down at Brooke who was wiggling around. "You do smell." He groaned.

* * *

Hours later AJ was getting ready for her 'adult night' out. She was very nervous to leave Brooke but trusted Colt. She actually had butterfly's in her stomach for the first time in her life. There was no romance with Cal not that she was assuming this was a date, but it was her first one on one time with a man she was deeply in love with already. A man who made her laugh hysterically to the point of tears and who protected her like no other person in her life ever did. He didn't demand sex, he didn't demand she cook or clean, he didn't demand anything of her and that was new to her.

"What do you think?" AJ asked Brooke who was in her swinging chair as AJ inspected herself in the mirror.

She was wearing red dress that stopped at her thighs and was skin tight. She bounced back after the baby and she couldn't remember the last time she even wore a dress. This one was affordable and her size she she bought it up. She made sure her hair was down for the first time since she was seven months pregnant and some light makeup.

"Do you think mommy is a bad person for going out on a possible date with a man when she's still married to another man?" She asked Brooke who obviously didn't respond. "I'm going to smother you so much and make sure you end up with a man who gives you butterfly's too." She told her daughter. "I never want you to feel the way I felt with Cal." She told her. "You're going to know your worth that's not something my mom ever taught me." she picked up Brooke and headed out the door.

"...no the bottle is at 7." Punk said to Colt annoyed. "I mean I asked you to write it down so you'd remember."

AJ smiled as Punk hammered the 'Brooke rule' into Colt who looked bored of listening to him.

"I've taken care of babies before, ok?" Colt said annoyed.

"I'm starting to really question that." Punk said placing his hands on his hips. "She can't be up all night she has schedule."

"Would you just shut up." Colt said annoyed.

"Maybe you weren't the one to ask." Punk said shaking his head.

"Are you crazy? You can trust me with the baby, babies fucking love me!" Colt insisted.

"Don't curse around her." Punk warned and Colt rolled his eyes and saw AJ and Brooke coming down the stairs.

"You know what? You're right." Colt said with a giddy smile. "You stay home with Brooke and I'll take AJ out."

"What?" Punk asked and turned around and his mouth literally dropped upon seeing AJ.

"Am I overdressed?" She asked nervously.

"No." Punk and Colt said at the same time and Punk glared at him.

"Shut up." Punk said to Colt. "You look-"

"Hot." Colt finished for him and Punk slapped him upside the head.

"Beautiful." Punk corrected.

"Thanks." AJ smirked passing Brooke to Colt.

"Ah, don't be upset we're going to have fun with Uncle Colt." Colt said to the baby. "You two have fun."

"Ready?" Punk asked and she nodded a bit nervously.

"Her favorite book to be read to bed is-" AJ began.

"Punk left me strict instructions." Colt assured her.

"We won't be far." Punk told him as he helped AJ into her jacket. "Call if anything happens."

"We'll be fine." Colt said waving him up. "Right, kid?" He asked Brooke.

"I'd kiss her goodbye but she'll start to cry." AJ said looking back at her daughter

"She's fine, we're fine go have fun." Colt ordered.

"Come on." Punk said placing his hand on her lower back and leading her out. Punk looked back one more time at Colt and pointed at Brooke.

"I've got her." Colt groaned.

* * *

Punk walked AJ into the most amazing restaurant she'd ever step foot in. There were fountains and people to open the door for you and they knew Punk by name.

"We have a private table in the back." Punk told her nodding for her to follow.

AJ was in awe. This was not the lifestyle she was accustom to at all. She suddenly felt very out place and small.

"What's wrong?" Punk asked.

"This place is way too nice for me." She said taking a step back as they hit the table.

"You deserve a nice night out." He insisted as he pulled a chair out for her. "Don't make me dine alone." He pleaded lightly.

"Alright." AJ said removing her jacket and the host helped her out of it and as AJ sat he placed the napkin over her knee. "Why are there so many forks and spoons?" She asked looking at the setting and he laughed a bit. "You think I'm an idiot."

"No." He laughed a bit. "I'm laughing because I have no idea why there are so many either."

"Really?" She asked warily.

"Really." He promised. "I come here for the seafood. It's the best in the city."

"Seafood?" She asked.

"You've never had seafood?" He asked.

"Does Cal look like the kind of guy to spring for nice shrimp?" She teased.

"I suppose not." He said to her opening the menu. "I recommend the salmon. You'll like it."

"What makes you so sure?" She asked.

"I just know you." He said simply.

"I guess you do. We've been roommates for a long time now." She said to him. "Is this dinner to butter me up before you kick me out?"

"Why are you always waiting for me to kick you out?" He asked.

"Why are you answering my question with a question?" She asked and he had to smile.

"I'm not kicking you out. I like having you there. I tell you this almost everyday." He reminded her.

"I want to thank you for everything you've done for Brooke and I." She told him.

"Don't thank me. You guys keep me occupied and young." He told her.

"You're not young but that's sweet." She said with a serious face and he glared at her causing her to let out should a loud laugh she snorted. "I'm kidding!"

"You know I'm sensitive about my age." He frowned childishly.

"I know that's why I said it. You can't leave those jokes open for me." She shrugged looking over the menu.

Punk eyed her as she read the menu and really couldn't believe how breathtaking she looked tonight. He always thought she was beautiful but she really outdid herself. She kept him on his toes and he liked that a lot.

"What are you looking at?" She asked playfully narrowing her eyes at him.

"You." He said simply. "You really do look beautiful."

"Thank you. I actually tried." She teased.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." He said to her and she put her menu down. "Remember when we first bought Brooke home? You asked me about that kiss in the hospital?" he asked and before she could respond Punk looked behind her and rolled his eyes.

"I thought that was you." Corey Graves greeted.

"Yea, what of it?" Punk asked leaning back in his chair and AJ arched a brow at the tattooed man towering behind her.

"Is this the friend Amy told me about?" Corey asked.

"I don't know what you and Amy discuss and I don't give a shit." Punk said to him. "Get lost."

"There's a bunch of us here in the next room, why don't you come over and say hi?" Corey asked and Punk glared at him.

"Fuck off." Punk said bluntly and AJ bit on her lip from laughing and picked up her menu again.

"You talk like that in front of your date?" Corey asked.

"I don't mind." AJ hummed from behind the menu.

"Bye." Punk said to him nodding for him to leave.

"I really want to talk to you." Corey said to him.

"And I really want to talk to my date." Punk said simply.

"Date or friend?" Corey asked with a chuckle.

"What does it matter to you?" AJ asked looking up at him now and Punk had to smile. She took no shit.

"Date I'd hate to intrude on, friend I'd like to ask for your number." Corey smirked and Punk shot up from his seat.

"You really want to do this here and now?" Punk asked bitterly.

"It's fine." AJ said standing up and in-between the two. "Don't let this guy ruin your night."

"I just wanted to talk." Corey said to him.

"Get out of here. Tweet me if you have something to say you're used to that." Punk said.

"Fine." Corey said shaking his head. "Nice meeting you." He said to AJ.

"He looked like you." AJ said sitting down.

"Don't say that." Punk groaned sitting down as well.

"What's the story?" AJ asked.

"It's not much of a story." Punk said to her.

"Really? I think there's a great story and I want to hear it. You've listened to me for almost a year bitch about my problems and now it's your turn to share with me."

"I don't want to dwell on the past all night." Punk told her.

"We do have plenty of time." She reminded him. "Tell me more about you." she encouraged, giving him her full attention.

* * *

Punk and AJ talked for hours without even realizing it. They talked about their childhoods and were both surprised by how similar their upbringings were. They talked about Amy and her betrayal, delved about more into Cal and both agreed they have had the worst dating past. AJ of course didn't date as much Punk, he had a long list her's was short.

"I think they want us out." AJ said to Punk as she finished her coffee. The restaurant was long closed but didn't dare ask AJ and Punk to leave.

"Yea. It's wow." He said looking at the time. "We missed our movie."

"That's fine. This was just as enjoyable." She shrugged standing up. "Can I chip in towards dinner?"

"No you can not." he said throwing cashing down on the table...A LOT of cash. "My treat."

"One day I'm going to be able to treat you." She practically warned.

"I'm old schooled." Punk shrugged as he helped her into her jacket

"I had a great night tonight." She told him honestly. "Adult conversation was a nice change."

"Yea we managed adult conversation which is amazing since we're both just big kids." He joked.

"That we are." She agreed.

* * *

The ride home was silent though and that was because both had something they wanted to say but the nerve to bring it up.

"Look." Punk began as he parked in the garage. "I think-" he began but she grabbed his face and kissed him.

She wasn't sure what came over her but they both talked about how they had been alone for a long time, it had been a long time for her and a VERY long time for Punk who wasn't sure who he could trust and kind of cut off dating before his fight. The sexual tension was evident and more so than that they connected on a mental level as well.

Punk didn't dare pull away. Instead he deepened the kiss and used his hand to unbuckle her seat belt and she slid over onto his lap and straddled him. Her hands were cupping his face as his was roaming her back, searching for the zipper to the dress. He ended up hitting the car horn a few times.

"We should take this inside." He said pulling away briefly and she nodded but wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him.

It wasn't easy for Punk to maneuver out of the car with her wrapped his body but he managed. He fell through the garage door which lead to the house with her legs around his waist and lips still attached to his. Making it up the stairs wasn't the easier either but they passed through the living room completely ignoring Colt who was sitting and watching the game.

"Yea, hi." Colt remarked bitterly and sipped his water.

Punk managed to get AJ all the way upstairs into his room and she only left his body when they hit his bed. He looked at her she sprawled out over his bed and he subtly licked his lips as he removed his tie and began to unbutton his shirt. AJ sat up to her knees on the bed and helped him with his shirt and he began to kiss her again. Finding her zipper was a lot easier in the bedroom and he slid the zipper down her back and he tugged it down with his hand revealing the strapless bra and matching panties she was wearing.

"You are so beautiful." He groaned easing her onto the bed and kissing her deeply.

"Phil." She whispered cupping his face. Her lips were swollen from kissing and her eyes were gazed over with want and he was going to give her anything and everything she wanted.

"You sure?" He asked nipping at her jawline and she could only nod as she pushed his hand down south.

Punk didn't need a map though. He slid his hand under the thin fabric and he could feel her moisture already. He moaned into her flesh as he nipped at her neck now and teased her folds before filling her with two fingers.  
AJ had never been treated this well in bed. Sex used to be something she'd lay there for and hope it was over fast. Punk was making her feel so good that she never wanted it to end. And this was only his fingers...she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand for the real thing but she was going to try.

"That's it." AJ gasped.

"I know." he whispered over the bite mark he left on her neck.

"Jesus." She cried out as she came around his fingers.

"You ok?" He asked and she just nodded. He sat up and tried to digest what was about to happen as did AJ. He wasn't sure she'd want to go on but she reached behind her back removed her own bra and he now began to remove his belt without taking his eyes off of her. She slid her panties down her slender legs next and used her foot to fling the fabric across the room.

Punk was huge. There was no other word to describe it. Cal was literally nothing in comparison to him. He was huge and was hard and AJ was slightly intimidated. She had only ever been with Cal and she never had to do anything but she WANTED to please Punk. She wanted Punk to want her. She wanted Punk to like this. Punk could see her anxiety written all over her face and knew what she was thinking. She reached over to stroke his want but he grabbed her hand and kissed the palm.

"It's ok. Not this time." he said to her and she eyed him as the most selfless human on this planet. Punk didn't let go of her hand and helped her off the bed and she followed his lead in confusion.

AJ watched as Punk pulled down his comforter and sheets and crawled into the bed first then took her hand and lead her over his body.

"I want you comfortable." he told her and she could cry.

"I just want you." She said grabbing his face and kissing him roughly.

AJ raised her hips and slid onto him and groaned at the sensation of him being inside of her. It wasn't super comfortable since she only had a baby six weeks ago, had never been with a man his size but it also felt right. He didn't move a muscle and let her adjust to him. He distracted her from the pain by kissing her chest and paying special attention to her perky nubs.

AJ began to move her hips as she wanted more from him. She wanted all of him and she was ready. Punk moved his hips up and down in almost agonizingly slow pace. He still wanted her comfortable and it was fine with her since this was going to be a slow build. Her arms were wrapped around his neck as he sat up with her and rested his forehead against hers. She was now covered in sweat as they swayed back and forth for what felt like hours.

This was the longest AJ had been with a man for. Cal would last no longer than ten minutes and with a quick glance at the clock Punk had been inside her body for almost twenty minutes and that was extraordinary to her. He truly had amazing self control and stamina. She felt her body let go for the third time and dropped her head against his shoulder as she let him take over and do all of the work.

Punk rolled her onto her back and began to move in and out of her body smoothly. He nipped at her lips as she clawed at his shoulders and gasped. It was the sweetest gasps Punk had ever heard in his life. He wanted to last forever inside of her or at least a little bit longer but her sounds and clawing weren't helping him. He was right at the edge. AJ began looking for another release herself and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.

"AJ." He groaned as he was now pounding into her. "You have to let me go." He warned as he was unable to stop moving.

"Do it." She pleaded. "Please."

"Babe-" he began as she matched his thrusts as hard as she could. Her legs were wrapped tightly around him and with nowhere to go he came inside of her and she joined him as he did. "Fuck." He moaned into her neck as he open mouthed kissed her neck. He wasn't what he was kissing but he had to let her know he was so thankful for tonight.

"Thank you." He heard her say and he looked up at her and inched up her body and kissed the corner of her mouth since he was on a high and missed her lips. "Thank you, thank you." She kept repeating.

Punk was getting aroused all over again as he was still buried inside of her. He had dreamed of being with her like this since the first day he saw her at the diner. It was the only reason he kept going back to the diner. She was a gorgeous woman and he wanted to be with her but he had no idea that he would just as attracted to her mind as he was her body.

"Phil." She moaned as he began to move again. She arched her back to welcome him again and let him know that she'd go as many times as he could...

* * *

At 2 in the morning both were passed out absolutely cold in Punk's bed. AJ was freezing and managed to grab one of his shirts and sweat pants before getting back into bed and sleeping across his chest.

"Hey." a voice announced and Punk's eyes opened first and he saw Colt standing over him and holding a crying Brooke which caused AJ to wake up next.  
"She won't stop crying." he said to them and AJ took Brooke from him. "I really, really tried." He insisted.

"It's fine." AJ said kissing her daughters head as Punk ran his hand over his tired face.

"I really wanted you two to have a complete night off." Colt said to them.

"It's ok." AJ assured him. "Thank you for watching her."

"She was an angel up until an hour ago." Colt said with a wave of his hand. "I think I'll crash in the guest room." he told them.

"Sure." Punk remarked and grabbed a pair of his sweats himself. He looked over to the bed and saw AJ calming Brooke and was so in awe of her. She was such a good mother to Brooke and that attracted him to her even more.

"She just missed me." AJ said looking over to Punk as Brooked calmed in her mothers arms.

"I think she did." Punk agreed getting back into the bed. "AJ-"

"I'm on the pill." She told him because she knew what he was thinking.

"Thank god." He said relieved. "Did you have a good night?"

"I think that goes without saying." AJ instantly blushed and he had to smile at how embarrassed she became. "I really enjoyed you."

"I hope so." He teased. "I don't want anything that goes on between us to taint the relationship we already have. I enjoy our friendship."

"Are you friend-zoning me?" AJ asked amused.

"No!" He said a little too loudly. "I just don't want to lose you for good. I want to try this with you I feel like we've been together for a year anyway as it is." he told her.

"I'm still married." She reminded him and he nodded.

"Yea that's an important detail I can't overlook either." He forced out uncomfortably.

"Let's just take it slowly." She suggested.

"That will work." He agreed.

"I want this fresh start with you so badly." She told him honestly as she soothed Brooke. "But I have Cal hanging over me and I don't want you dragged into it anymore than you already are."

"I'm not scared of Cal." he scoffed.

"I know you're not." She whispered back. "But I want to protect you like you've protected us."

"Here, give her to me." Punk said holding his arms out for Brooke who was still fussing.

"You're her favorite." AJ teased a she went under the blankets and rolled onto her side to look at them. "I'm so tired." She nearly cried.

"And I'm not?" He asked with a laugh.

"You're the reason I'm so tired." She reminded him and he thought about it. "I haven't had sex in a really long time and that was a lot for my first time back in the saddle."

"Was it too much?" He asked concerned.

"No." She promised him. "I'm just trying to argue as to why you should take over Brooke duty tonight and let me get my beauty sleep."

"So it's my fault?" He asked and she nodded.

"And if I have a really good night sleep I might have a lot of energy during Brooke's nap tomorrow after her morning bottle." AJ informed him.

"I got her. You just get some sleep." Punk said to her seriously and she laughed. "Seriously close your eyes." he ordered and she laughed as she closed her eyes. "You too because I'm also tired." he told Brooke.

"Put her in-between us." AJ said patting the bed and he laid Brooked down.

"She might not like my bed." Punk frowned and concerned that Brooke was being extra fussy.

"This is the most comfortable bed in the world." She smirked.

"Sleep." He ordered AJ who giggled.

* * *

"So you're saying I have full legal rights to the kid?" Cal asked his attorney at the diner they were meeting.

"Your wife never filed any legal action against you. Not even a call to the police." The lawyer scoffed. "She can't keep you from the baby. I can serve her with papers."

"I don't care about the baby. I want her." Cal told him.

"You're entitled to visitation especially since she's the one who abandoned you. If you want to see your wife, your daughter is the way to go." The lawyer informed him and Cal nodded.

"She'd never leave me alone with her." Cal said more to himself.

"She'd want to be there." The lawyer agreed. "And you can tell the judge you'd be fine with that kind of supervision."

"Perfect" Cal nodded.

"She did file for divorce weeks ago and her attorney is one of the best ones in the City." The lawyer warned.

"That's because that asshole is paying for it." Cal scoffed. "He's not an issue. He'll get bored of her."

"For your sake I hope so." The lawyer told him as Cal frowned.


	9. Good morning, Sunshine

**Good morning, Sunshine**

* * *

Two weeks later AJ was laying in bed on her side and felt long arms wrap around her and a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

"Good morning." AJ greeted in a tired but happy voice.

"Morning." Punk greeted back kissing over her shoulder still. "Brooke is up, I fed and changed her."

"You didn't have to do that." AJ said rolling onto her back.

"You seemed tired. You were snoring louder than usual." He teased.

"You keep me up most nights." She pointed out.

"Thus why I helped with Brooke this morning." he shrugged and rolled out of bed.

"There's my girl." AJ smiled sitting up seeing Brooke in her crib. "She's pleasant this morning."

"She loves when I'm around." Punk shrugged innocently.

"She isn't the only one." AJ smiled and the doorbell rang. "It's way too early for anybody." she groaned getting out of bed and picking up Brooke and kissing her. "Good morning, sunshine."

"I got it." Punk said walking out of the room and jogging down the stairs.

Punk swung open the door and saw Cal standing there with a big smile.

"No." Punk simply stated and began to close the door but Cal put his foot in the door.

"Relax." Cal said to him. "This is about the divorce papers Apey had sent to me."

"Apey?" Punk asked and Cal glared at him.

"She wants them right?" Cal asked holding up the paperwork. "She has to come and get it from me."

"You are fucking crazy." Punk laughed a bit. "You think I'm going to let you get within ten feet of her?"

"I'm not going to hurt her." Cal shrugged.

"Right." Punk forced out coldly. "You can give that paperwork to AJ's attorney."

"I'll stall." Cal threatened.

"Stall." Punk shrugged and began to close the door again.

"Wait." AJ said racing over.

"AJ, no." Punk told her.

"It's fine." AJ assured him.

"Can I come in?" Cal asked.

"No." Punk and AJ said at the same time.

"Here." Cal said passing AJ the paperwork. "I really wish we could have done this a better way."

"What is this?" AJ asked looking at the paperwork. "This isn't the divorce papers."

"Oh, no they're not. Those are legal papers about custody of our child." Cal said and AJ glared at him. "I'm that kids parent whether you like it or not. I'm going to spend a lot of time with her-"

"Over my dead body." AJ hissed stepped towards him but Punk jumped in front of her.

"I'm the legal parent, not him." Cal reminded her. "I want time with her. If you'd like to join us on our visitations I would be thrilled." he grinned and AJ's stomach fell.

"Of course you would." AJ remarked shaking her head. "You don't want her!"

"I want you." Cal reminded her. "You are my wife in the eyes of the courts and God." he added. "You belong home with me, not him, not Puerto Rico. We can go to court and do this in front of a judge who is obviously going to grant me some custody since unlike you I have a job and I didn't abandon my home." he warned her and she narrowed her eyes at him. "But then that's unsupervised time with that kid which I don't think you want. We can do this out of court and we can spend time together like the family we are."

"We are not a family!" She yelled.

"You're my family." Cal reminded her. "Bring the kid, don't bring the kid, doesn't matter to me. But you will spend some time with your husband. It's been a long year." He said reaching to stroke her face but Punk grabbed his hand.

"Touch her and I'll break your hand." Punk threatened.

"You're not her father." AJ said shaking her head and ripping up his legal paperwork. "You're not on her birth certificate."

"DNA will prove it." Cal informed her. "And a judge will order a DNA test just in case you two were curious. That's also considered fraud if you lie to the courts about paternity."

"Fine." AJ said and Punk eyed her. "We'll go out and discuss the divorce or something but not with Brooke."

"No." Punk said. "We're calling the lawyer."

"No, Phil." AJ said to him. "He doesn't want anything to do with her! Just let me deal with him!"

"Maybe I want the kid around." Cal shrugged. "She's not messy though right? You know how I feel about messes."

"Fuck off." Punk said and slammed the door in his face.

"Phil I can't let him have time with her." AJ told him desperately. "She'll spit up on him and he'll slap or her something. I can't let him near her!"

"We won't." Punk assured her calmly. "We'll have the lawyer take care of this."

"She warned us about this." AJ reminded him. "He doesn't want to spend time with her he wants to see me and that's fine as long as she's at home with you  
safe."

"That guy will kill you." Punk warned her and she rolled her eyes. "Why is that so far-fetched? He's hit you!"

"A few times!" She argued and he shook his head.

"He can't stand that you're gone and he will fucking kill you and I'm not going to let that happen." Punk informed her as he locked the door. "We'll do this the right way."

"If we go to court the judge is going to give him partial custody! He's right! He has a job- I don't, he has a place to live- I don't, he's never even so much as gotten a parking ticket in his life!" she argued. "Then he gets Brooke alone and he's not going to know what to do and he's not going to care! He didn't want her from the start so imagine what he'd do to her alone. It's BROOKE you should be afraid for!"

"I'm afraid for both of you." Punk told her. "I won't let him spend time with either of you."

"If it goes to a judge we lose." She reminded him.

"We'll get witnesses." Punk suggested and she rolled her eyes. "That's all we have to go on! We'll get Celeste and Aimee and Moe to testify how fucking crazy he is. How you left out of fear. How you were going to leave even before you got pregnant."

"Or I can get him alone and let him hurt me a little bit and report him." She suggested and Punk eyed her like she was crazy.

"Over MY dead body." He warned her coldly.

"Brooke is the innocent one. She didn't pick him as a father like I picked him as a husband." She told him trying to calm down. "She doesn't deserve to be inflicted by his madness. She's also MY daughter and I will do anything in my power to protect her."

"You're upset and caught off guard but getting yourself hurt isn't going to help Brooke." He warned her.

"It's either her or me." AJ said simply.

"Let's talk to the lawyer. I pay her A LOT of money so the least you could do is just sit down with her." Punk encouraged.

"He can't have Brooke." AJ cried now and Punk frowned. AJ wasn't a crier by any means. She was usually sarcastic and hard but this was truly fearful to her.

"He won't." Punk promised her hugging her.

"He'll hurt her." AJ warned.

"I won't let him hurt her." Punk swore. And he meant. He's spent everyday with Brooke since she was born and he loved her as if she was his own. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her. "I'm going to help you."

"She's just a little baby. She shouldn't have to know him." AJ told him and Punk nodded in agreement. "Or am I monster for keeping her away from her father?"

"Cal is a monster." Punk reminded her. "He doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as her. A father is someone who takes care of her and loves her. That's not him."

"No it's not. It's you." She said as she buried her head against his chest.

* * *

Later that night AJ met with the attorney at Punk's house in the office while Punk watched Brooke. They were up there for hours. He was growing antsy but Brooke distracted him.

"Want to watch Elmo again, huh?" Punk asked the fussy baby and just hit play on the DVD. Brooke loved Elmo so much. It drove Punk crazy but keeping her happy was his goal.

"I just walked her out." AJ told him walking into the bedroom.

"Yea? How did it go?" Punk asked eagerly as he held onto Brooke.

"She thinks we have a fighting chance so we fight." She shrugged. "I'm still sick to my stomach."

"It will be fine." Punk assured her.

"If he gets any form of custody you know I have to be there every time he's with her, right?" AJ asked.

"Of course." He agreed quietly. "And you know I'll be there too."

"I don't think you'd be allowed." She smirked.

"I'll be parked outside then." He said to her.

"I was talking to the lawyer and we agreed just in case anything gets super messy or he does try to hurt me and does- that I need to have proper legal work in place." She told him.

"Ok." Punk nodded. "That's smart I guess but you won't have to worry."

"I want you to be Brooke's guardian." AJ told him and he was stunned. "I know you never imagined having a child and you'd probably much rather raise your own, but I need to know she'd be in a home with someone who loves her and is a good person and that's you."

"AJ." He sighed and she gave him a hopeful smile.

"I trust no one else with her." AJ told him seriously. "I know if god forbid something happens to me you won't let Cal near her."

"I love Brooke." He told her bluntly. "I'll always take care of her no matter what. I've been there since you found out about her and I've been here everyday of her life so I don't plan on leaving her life."

"Good." She said relieved.

"But I don't want you to think that something is going to happen to you." He said to her.

"I just want to make sure Brooke is cared for." AJ said simply.

"She'll always have a home with me." He said honestly and AJ kissed him as he held Brooke.

"You're the best man in the world." She told him and he smirked.

"I wouldn't go that far. I just happen to like Brooke, normally kids and I don't get along." Punk teased.

"I don't know where we're going to be a year from now or ten years from now but I want you to know you always have a place in her life." She told him. "I wouldn't keep her from you."

"You don't have to make promises like that." He said to her.

"I mean it though. You are the male role model in her life." AJ said simply. "I couldn't keep her from you. She loves you so much."

"I think a year or ten years from now we'll all still be here." He told her and she smiled. "I'm kind of partial to the both of you. It's not just the baby I love."

"Yea? I haven't driven you insane with my drama?" She asked resting her chin against his shoulder and looking up at him.

"Not yet." He said and she cracked a smile.

"I love you too." AJ told him honestly. "I want to be here with you and Brooke and I wish that Cal wasn't a factor. I wish he wasn't my husband or Brooke's father."

"But he is." Punk reminded her. "And we'll get through it."

"I don't know." AJ said with a frown. "You don't know how spiteful he can be."

"He just wants you." Punk reminded her. "He doesn't have a real interest in Brooke."

"And that's disgusting because she's absolutely amazing." AJ said coldly but smiled at her daughter in Punk's arms.

"He's a dick." Punk stated plainly. "He can't have you anyway."

"Yea? You want to tattoo your name across my forehead?" She teased.

"I think that's a little over the top but I'll mark you up with some hickeys if you'd like." He offered and she laughed.

"Sounds like a good time." She practically purred. "I'll put her to bed." AJ said taking Brooke.

"Then you're coming back in here, right?" He asked hopefully as he watched them walk out the door. "AJ!"

* * *

With Brooke fast asleep Punk and AJ could play and play they did. She collapsed on her side of the bed and was practically gasping for air.

"That's a new record for me." Punk remarked smugly. "Five times?"

"I don't know why you're so smug about it. I hadn't had a good sexual encounter in six years. Anything could turn me on." She said and he laughed.

"Don't be embarrassed." He frowned kissing her cheek causing her to smile. "I like getting you off."

"This is a whole new world for me." She told him seriously.

"You never once enjoyed sex with Cal?" He asked seriously.

"The second time ever we did it. The first time was awful the second time was tolerable and that was it." She told him honestly. "He didn't believe in foreplay."

"That's my favorite." He said to her and she snorted a laugh.

"Yea, I've noticed!" she teased.

"So no foreplay?" He asked.

"Nope and always missionary. Him always on top." She told him and he screwed his eyes.

"That's fucking boring." He said to her and she nodded.

"I mean, he always seemed to enjoy himself." AJ said to him. "He wouldn't last longer than six minutes most of the time. I'd just lay there. I had no idea that sex could be so enjoyable."

"We're just getting started." he warned her. "There's tons of stuff we haven't even done yet."

"Really?" AJ asked in awe.

"That comes in time." He said to her.

"I never knew oral sex was so great." She told him bluntly.

"Yes I've noticed that's your favorite." He remarked sarcastically.

"It really is." She said cupping his face and rubbing her nose against his.

"Yea? Again?" He asked.

"I mean, if you don't mind." She suggested innocently.

"As much as you love receiving it I love giving it because you taste so fucking good." He told her as he headed under the covers and ventured south.

"I don't want to be ah-" She gasped then smiled as he moved around and worked her. "-selfish."

"The bedroom is an acceptable place to be selfish sometimes." He assured her as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Phil." She cried with literal tears leaving her eyes. He was just so good to her.

"Busy." He replied and she moaned out loudly and arched her back.

A loud boom of thunder startled her as well as Brooke in the next room since she began to cry.

"Fuck." She muttered as Punk sat up and licked his lips.

"Sorry." He said unable to finish.

"You'll make it up to me." AJ said grabbing her robe and tying it around her body before venturing to get Brooke.

"It's alright, Mama's here." AJ said walking over to her crib. "Phil!" AJ screamed as she picked up Brooke.

"What?" Punk asked rushing in pulling up his sweats.

"Her window is broken." AJ pointed and Punk eyed the window that had a break in it.

"Check her for glass." Punk said to AJ who seemed confused.

"You think she broke the window?" AJ asked unsure.

"No make sure glass didn't get in her crib." Punk told her as he walked over to the window. "Something hit it."

"Maybe the tree branch?" AJ asked.

"Yea, maybe." Punk said as AJ put on the light.

Punk peered into her crib and saw spots of blood.

"She's bleeding." Punk said as his face dropped.

"What?" AJ asked looking over Brooke. "Her hand!"

"Let me see." Punk said taking Brooke's hand into his own. "I know, baby, it hurts." He soothed. "Tweezers."

"What?" She asked.

"Tweezers, AJ. I have to take the glass out." He told her and she ran off into the bathroom. "I know, it's ok." He said to Brooke blowing on the small cut a bit.

"Her crib isn't even near the window." AJ argued as she passed Punk the tweezers.

"Yea but it shattered." He said and carefully removed the glass as AJ held her arm for him. "Got it." Punk said. "Here." Punk said taking Brooke and heading into the bathroom. "It's ok." He cooed to the small child who was sobbing in his arms.

"It still hurts what if there's more?" AJ asked more afraid than Brooke.

"Nah, we got it." He told her as he ran Brooke's hand under water. "Feel better?" he asked her. "It's ok." he said kissing her cheek and AJ's heart melt. THIS was a father.


	10. Custody

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks again for your reviews it means so much to read that so many people still enjoy my stories! This one is a tad different as well as the timeline moves quickly. I don't want to drag out a story for longer than necessary. I want to watch them grow as a family as I'm sure you do. Thanks again everybody!**

* * *

 **Custody**

* * *

 _ **Four weeks later...**_

AJ felt defeated as she walked into Punk's house holding Brooke and he followed behind.

"We lost." AJ told him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen.

"No we didn't." Punk reminded her.

They had just come from family court. The judge ruled that Cal was allowed visitation with Brooke. The judge also took statements from Punk, Celeste, Aimee, Moe and the two uniformed officers who helped AJ in the diner with Cal months back. So although Cal did get visitation, it was supervised visitation by the court. Cal had wanted AJ to be the court mediator but that obviously wasn't going to happen. The judge took note of Cal's dissatisfaction with the ruling. It was very clear Cal had no interest in Brooke.

"He's going to get to see her and he'll never take care of her!" AJ cried holding Brooke.

"There will be someone from the court there." He reminded her.

"And I'm going too." AJ insisted.

"No." Punk said shaking his head.

"Phil, I'm not letting him spend one minute with my daughter without me there." AJ warned him coldly.

"I'll go." Punk told her.

"You can't go." AJ sighed.

"I was planning on going. Even if I have to sit outside I'll be there." he told her.

"I need to be in the room with them." AJ told him simply. "He doesn't know how to take care of a baby."

"Tell him to come here." Punk suggested.

"He would never with you around." AJ said shaking her head. "You scare him. He almost wet himself when he bumped into you going into court."

"So I should be the one to be there." Punk urged.

"I knew we shouldn't have gone to court." AJ said shaking her head. "I knew it!" she yelled more to herself.

"What were our options?" Punk asked.

"I don't know but I've been considering leaving town." She told him. "Maybe I should-"

"And go where? You'd be a felon." He told her.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"That's kidnapping." Punk told her.

"She's MY daughter! I can't kidnap my own child!" She yelled.

"Yes, Ape, you can." He argued. "Especially after the courts ruled in his favor."

"We had a pet Guniea Pig and after two nights he took it out of the cage and tossed it out the window because it kept squeaking and he couldn't sleep." AJ told him and he cringed. "He's going to throw Brooke out the window!"

"No he's not." Punk assured her. "He won't be alone with her."

"Look at her." AJ said holding Brooke up. "She should be surrounded by people who love her like us." She told Punk who had a hard time even looking at Brooke since he felt he let her down as well.

"We're going to be there with her." Punk told her again.

"No we aren't because he won't do it with you there. He'll call the judge." AJ told him shaking her head. "He won't complain if I go."

"It's for three hours every weekend." Punk reminded her.

"Three hours too much." AJ told him.

"He'll get bored of her." Punk tried to convince her.

"No, he'll get annoyed with her." AJ corrected. "He'll yell at her. He'll make her feel small." AJ said holding her daughter close. "He'll make her feel like she can't even talk to us, he'll threaten her-"

"Brooke isn't you." Punk reminded her softly. "Brooke has a me and you to watch out for her. And a judge is already involved."

"It doesn't matter. This is going to scar her for life." AJ told him. "This could be the arrangement for years to come, don't you get that? We should have just told the judge he wasn't her father."

"Then he'd order a DNA test." Punk told her. "There was no way around it."

"I could have just agreed to see him alone." AJ told him. "But you said-"

"I know what I said and I stand by it. You can't be alone with him, he'd hurt you." Punk told her. "You won't be alone now."

"I'm scared." AJ said to him. "I've never been so scared. He drinks so much, what if he falls on her? What if he hits her? What if he gets behind the wheel with her in the car?"

"None of that is going to happen." Punk told her. "He's not allowed to take her anywhere."

"The law isn't going to stop him." AJ argued lightly shaking her head.

"I'll stop him." Punk insisted. "Like I said if he's in his apartment with her I'll be there too. He just won't see me."

"You can't do that." She said to him.

"I promised you and I promised Brooke I'd protect you both. So I'm going to do whatever I can do to keep that." He told her.

"He doesn't deserve her." AJ said shaking her head.

"First visit should be here in our home that's what the judge said." Punk reminded her. "Brooke doesn't know him we can't take her out of her home and bring her to a strange place."

"I don't want him here. This is my safe place." AJ said tearfully.

"It's still your safe place." He countered. "It's ok."

"You don't get it." AJ said to him. "He's going to hate her."

"He's not." Punk told her.

"The only good thing was the judge speeding up our divorce." AJ said to him.

"Few months you'll be legally away from him." Punk told her.

"At the price of my daughter." AJ said to him.

"No. She's going to be fine." Punk assured her. "Have I let either of you down yet?"

"No but this is bigger than you." AJ reminded him.

"You two are important to me. I love you both, you're not doing this alone." He told her.

* * *

Two days later AJ was anxiously pacing in the living room with the court mediator waiting for Cal to arrive as Punk held Brooke and bounced her around on his knee.

"You're very good with her." The young court monitor blushed at Punk.

"Thanks." Punk smirked as AJ rolled her eyes at the woman who clearly was crushing on Punk.

"He's excellent with her." AJ corrected. "She loves him. She doesn't love Cal."

"I understand Ms. Mendez." The woman frowned.

"If he's awful with her you'll report it to the judge, right?" AJ asked.

"I have to report everything." The woman assured her. "But this is their first time meeting."

The doorbell rang and AJ's heart fell.

"It's alright." Punk assured her and she just nodded and opened the door.

"Cal." AJ forced out.

"Flowers, your favorite." Cal said passing her flowers.

"No thank you." AJ said stepping aside and let him in. "Did you bring anything for your daughter?"

"She's a baby, what does she even know?" Cal asked.

Cal walked in and waved at the court monitor and then turned around to face AJ.

"So, ready to talk?" Cal asked.

"This isn't a meeting for us this is a meeting for you to meet your daughter." AJ reminded him and he looked over to Brooke who was smiling with Punk.

"She seems fine." Cal shrugged taking his jacket off and AJ rolled his eyes. "Nice house."

"I know." AJ responded folding her arms.

"Where do you sleep?" Cal asked.

"That's not your business." Punk answered for her.

"She's still my wife." Cal reminded him.

"Not for long." Punk added with a smile.

"I can't really compete with this." Cal said looking around the house.

"Do you have space for Brooke at your apartment?" The court monitor asked.

"She's small. She can fit anywhere." Cal said simply and AJ eyed the ceiling and counted to ten. "Apey didn't really want Brooke either."

"Wanted her bad enough that I left." AJ shot at him.

"Do I get a tour?" Cal questioned.

"Of this house? No." AJ said shaking her head.

"You can see your daughters room." The monitor told him and he shrugged.

"I'm sure it's fine." Cal said eyeing the stuff they had around. "A lot of baby toys on the floor." He noted. "You don't keep house here?" he asked AJ and she felt herself shrink in his sight. "You never kept our home like this."

"A baby requires a lot of stuff, they're also messy." Punk pointed out. "We have a cleaning staff."

"Of course you do." Cal said to him. "So what do you get out of this?"

"Excuse me?" Punk asked calmly.

"She doesn't keep house, I'm sure she doesn't cook and her kid makes a mess, what's in it for you? Sex that good?" Cal questioned.

"The point of this visit is to spend time with your daughter." The court monitor reminded Cal.

"And do what? She's a baby." Cal shrugged. "Here, give her to me." Cal said holding his arms out to Punk and Punk made no move to hand Brooke to him.

"She doesn't like strangers." Punk remarked.

"It doesn't matter, I'm her father we'll have an instant bond." Cal told him keeping his arms out. "Give me MY daughter."

Punk looked at the court monitor who nodded and then to AJ who looked ready to cry.

"She's fussy so be careful." Punk warned passing him Brooke reluctantly.

"She's big for age, no?" Cal asked taking the baby who immediately began to sob.

"Do you even know her age?" AJ snapped.

"She's heavy." Cal frowned. "How much do you feed her?"

"That's enough." AJ said holding her arms out for her crying daughter as Punk stood practically on top of Cal as he held Brooke.

"I just got her, relax." Cal snapped at AJ. "She looks like you." he noted eyed her crying face.

"She doesn't want you she wants her real parents." AJ hissed.

"Parents?" Cal questioned amused. "He's not her parent."

"In every sense of the word he is." AJ argued. "He's the one who encouraged me to have her, he's the one who gave us a safe place, he's the one who took me to appointments and birthing classes, he's the one who reads her a story every night before bed, he's the one who fixed her cut when you threw a rock through her window!"

"I didn't do that!" Cal screamed and Brooke's cries got louder.

"She doesn't like yelling." AJ said to him and the court monitor stood up.

"Let AJ or Mr. Brooks calm the child." She told Cal.

"How is she ever going to get used to me?" Cal asked the court monitory.

"You heard her." Punk said holding his arms out now. "Give her to me."

"You're not her family, you're not her father, she senses it." Cal said as he passed Brooke back to Punk and once he did Brooke stopped crying.

"It's alright." Punk said kissing her cheek. "It's ok." He soothed and calmed Brooke down instantly.

"She knows." AJ remarked smugly to Cal.

"This is crazy." Cal said to the court monitor. "How can I bond with her with them here?"

"You said you wanted Ms. Mendez here." She reminded Cal.

"Well, I don't need him here." Cal said to the monitor.

"The child is very comfortable with him." The monitor stated simply. "This is all about keeping Brooke comfortable."

"She doesn't like yelling." AJ told Cal. "That's going to be hard for you since all you do is yell."

"This is bullshit." Cal said simply. "The kid has been tainted against me."

"No she hasn't. She just doesn't love you." AJ said coldly.

"She should. She wouldn't be here without me." He reminded AJ.

"She wouldn't be here if you had your way." AJ reminded him.

"I'm not paying for a kid I can't even hang out with." Cal told the monitor.

"Ms. Mendez hasn't asked for any financial assistance." The monitor reminded Cal.

"Yea she lives here for free why would she? But what happens when this goes south and believe me it will go south. They're enjoying playing house now but it won't last. Then where do they go? They'll come crawling back to me." Cal remarked.

"I'd rather crawl over shattered glass." AJ snapped.

"Well I'm going to make you crawl." Cal warned her. "I'm not going to forgive this." He said pointing at Punk.

"She doesn't want your forgiveness. She wants a divorce so she can move on with her life with her daughter." Punk told him calmly as he held Brooke.

"She's mine too." Cal reminded him back and Punk smirked.

"You don't act like one." Punk said to him.

"You won't give me the chance!" Cal yelled causing Brooke to cry out.

"You have to go." AJ said to Cal. "You're upsetting her."

"Maybe we'll try this again next week." The monitor suggested. "Everyone seems a bit tense."

"Fuck it." Cal said then stormed out.

"I'll be in touch." The monitor told AJ before seeing her way out.

"I told you he'd be awful." AJ said taking Brooke from him and kissing her cheek in the process.

"Yea he was and the court lady saw it all and wrote it all down." Punk pointed out. "He's going to fuck this up for himself."

"She can't call him dad." AJ said to Punk and he sighed.

"You're getting a little ahead of yourself here." Punk told her.

"I can't help it." AJ said to him.

* * *

AJ woke up at three in the morning and saw Punk wasn't sleeping at her side. She sat up and looked around and when she didn't see him she stood up and walked out of the bedroom and across the hall to Brooke's nursery and sure enough there he was reading to her.

"She couldn't sleep." Punk said looking up at her.

"I wanted to apologize to you." AJ said to him and he eyed her.

"For what?" He asked.

"This Cal seeing Brooke can't be easy for you either." AJ pointed out and Punk just looked back down towards the book.

"Since before she was born you were her father. To have someone else walk in and try to take her from you must be awful." She said to him.

"I don't share Brooke's DNA but I love her." Punk told AJ truthfully. "I'd lay down my life for hers. The fact that I didn't help create her doesn't take that away. I hate that he wants to be her father-"

"He doesn't want that." AJ insisted. "He wants me, not her."

"Well, he can't have either of you." Punk stated simply.

"Cal will never be able to fill your shoes as far as she's concerned." AJ told him. "He'll live in your shadow for the rest of his life."

"He's going to keep trying. He's going to hold Brooke over out heads forever." AJ warned him.

"I know." Punk said to her. "We just can't give into the bait. We have to play this smart. We have everything going for us. We have the big house, we have the connection with her, we have the money-"

"We don't have the money." AJ reminded him. "YOU have the money. Which is why I'm going to the diner and going to start back at work."

"That's crazy, Ape." He said shaking his head. "You don't need to."

"I need to do something." She insisted. "I need to show the judge that I'm not just shacking up with you for money."

"I know you're not here for money." He said to her.

"But he needs to know that." She told him. "He also needs to know what a great father you are to Brooke."

"This first meeting didn't go well and none of the other ones will either." Punk told her simply. "Brooke is a smart baby, she's going to show the court how much she hates him."

"I hope so." AJ said to him.

"Go back to sleep." Punk urged. "She'll doze off soon enough."

"I couldn't sleep if I tried." She said to him. "I'll just hang out in here with you two." She smiled.

"We're still a family, AJ." Punk told her. "No judge is going to change that."

"Promise?" She asked and held his open arm out and AJ sat on his one knee and curled into him as Brooke was to his other side.

"You two have changed my world. I'm not losing either of you." he swore.

* * *

The next day AJ took Brooke to the park while he went out without Colt.

"So he sucked with her?" Colt asked Punk about Cal and Brooke.

"Of course he did. He doesn't have a parental bone in his body." Punk scoffed. "He doesn't want anything to do with Brooke but he'll use her to get to AJ."

"That's so fucked up." Colt said shaking his head and biting into his pizza.

"Yea." Punk said looking at his phone. "I'm waiting to hear from the lawyer. We're trying to speed up AJ's divorce. She doesn't want anything from him no child or spousal support."

"So what's taking so long?" Colt asked.

"Fucking Cal." Punk scoffed. "Piece of shit is just stalling everything."

"He still loves her." Colt shrugged.

"He doesn't love her he wants to own her." Punk told him.

"What's going on with you and AJ anyway?" Colt asked.

"We're fine." Punk shrugged. "We get along great, we give each other space, we're there when the other one needs it."

"You're raising a child together." Colt added.

"AJ is raising Brooke, I'm just helping." Punk told him.

"What if she picked up and left tomorrow with Brooke?" Colt asked.

"I'd go find her." Punk shrugged.

"What if you couldn't?" Colt asked.

"Why are you asking me dumb shit? I'd be hurt." He said annoyed. "I love both of them my house is finally a fucking home. I love stepping on baby toys and doing late night feedings. I love falling asleep next to AJ every night and waking up to her snoring every morning."

"You see them with you for years ahead?" Colt asked.

"Yea I do." Punk told him honestly. "We're a family. Larry too."

"So what are you going to do about Cal? He'll hold onto visitation for as long as he can." Colt told him.

"I offered him money months ago when he first threatened AJ with visitation and he didn't want a cent just his 'Apey'." He groaned.

"What about her parents? Does she have parents?" Colt asked.

"Yea but they took off when she was a kid." Punk shrugged. "She hasn't seen them since she was six. Her grandparents pretty much raised her and when she told them she was having a baby but not living with her husband they hung up on her."

"She has it rough." Colt said to him.

"Not only that but she's insisting on going back to work at the diner." Punk told him.

"It's so far." Colt said. "Need a sitter?" He grinned.

"I'm going to LA for a week to film that stupid fucking show so I contacted a baby-sitting agency. You can't watch Brooke everyday." Punk said to him.

"A sitter?" Colt asked scrunching up his face.

"I don't like it either." Punk agreed. "But she wants to work she wants to contribute and she wants to work with her friends."

"You should have taken them to LA with you." Colt said to him.

"You don't think it's too soon?" Punk asked and Colt's face dropped.

"You moved her in with you before you even knew her last name and are raising her daughter and you think a trip to LA is moving to fast?" Colt asked mockingly. "You're fucking kidding right?"

"Maybe I should ask her." Punk said thinking about it. "Getting out of Chicago for a week can't be bad for her."

"No and the baby is old enough now to travel." Colt pointed out.

* * *

"How was the park?" Punk asked AJ as he helped her with the stroller into the house.

"It was beautiful." AJ smiled. "Larry had fun too."

"I bet he did." Punk smirked as Larry ran inside next.

"Brooke loves the leaves." AJ informed him as he took her out of her stroller.

"Hi." He grinned at the little girl.

"I think she kept looking for you." AJ smirked.

"Maybe she was." Punk said then looked at AJ while he held Brooke. "I was thinking when I go to LA to film that thing that you two could come with me."

"What?" AJ asked stunned.

"Yea I mean we're together, I'm very, VERY a custom to having both of you with me I don't think I'd have a good time." He told her. "I'm staying in a nice resort, there's stuff for babies there too."

"You don't have to bring us along." AJ told him.

"You and Brooke aren't this charity case." He told her seriously. "I don't think anything I do for either of you is troubling. I want to spend time with two of you. I want you both around. I don't want to hide you two in my house either. I want to take you out more, I want to take you to events, I want to brag about you to everyone- both of you. You're not a deep dark secret. I don't want an in home only romance."

"It's just a lot to get used to." AJ said in a soft voice with a light smile. "I'm not used to someone wanting me around just for the sake of having me around."

"I do." he said bluntly.

"You're rich and famous and I'm poor and just poor." She told him.

"I don't give a shit." He told her. "I want you both to come with me. I want you both around."

"Ok." AJ said simply.

"Yea?" He asked.

"If you really want us there we'll be there." She smiled warmly and he kissed her lips while still holding Brooke.

"I want you there." He told her sternly. "I want all of my friends to meet you, I want you to meet my sisters." He told her. "I'm not embarrassed by you and you have nothing to be embarrassed for."

"I've never been to LA." AJ admitted feeling excited.

"You'll really like it. Maybe we'll take Brooke to Disney on one of my off days." He suggested.

"Oh my god! I'd LOVE to go to Disney!" She squealed and that sealed the deal for Punk, he was taking his girls to Disney.

"It will be fun. It will be good to get away from the madness of the custody stuff and work stuff." Punk told her.

"It's going to be fun." AJ agreed and kissed him again. "Have I told you I loved you today?" She asked him.

"Once but that was during our morning wake up session." He teased sadly. "I never feel it's sincere when you say it during sex."

"It's always sincere." She said and kissed him again. "I love you, actually, we both love you."

"You two are alright." He teased and she laughed. "A little chatty, both of you."

"You love it." She smirked.


	11. Skipping A Step

**Skipping A Step**

* * *

 _ **Three Months Later...**_

"No. I can't do this." AJ said in the car shaking her head. "I just can't."

"It's court ordered." Punk reminded her.

"He's getting her unsupervised." AJ reminded him. "Our girl is going to be in his hands without either one of us to watch him for four hours."

"The court came by and checked out his apartment and it's clean." Punk told her.

"I don't give a shit how clean it is." AJ snapped. "He won't know what to do with her! I have to stay."

"He's not going to let you." Punk reminded her.

"Oh yes he will." AJ said getting out of the car and Punk got out as well and took Brooke out of her car seat. "Because she's my daughter and I don't have to leave her with him." she said grabbing Brooke's bag.

"She's gotten to know him a bit more." Punk reasoned.

"Who fucking cares?" AJ asked. "He still has never changed a diaper, he's never fed her, he has no idea how to parent AND she still hates him and let's be real, he doesn't like her either."

"What can we do? If we don't do what the court says we get in trouble." He reminded her. "Then he gets even more time with her."

"This building isn't safe." AJ said as she held the door open for Punk who was still holding Brooke.

"He's not leaving the building with her. They'll stay in the apartment." He told her.

"We're going to stay, right? Like right outside the door?" She asked.

"Of course." He said as they walked up the stairs.

"It's ok baby." AJ said to Brooke. "What if she thinks we're abandoning her?"

"She's not going to think that." Punk laughed.

"She's only six months old." AJ reminded him.

"I know how old she is." He smirked.

"She's going to think we're giving her away." AJ insisted. "At least if we go out without her someone she knows is with her, someone familiar."

"Ape, why are you working me up so much? I already have as much anxiety as you have." He groaned as they reached their floor and walked down the hall.

"Because I feel sick to my stomach I want to make sure you do too." AJ mumbled.

"Already do, trust me." He forced out and AJ knocked on Cal's door.

"Right on time." Cal greeted and let them inside. "So, how's my wife?" he asked Punk.

"She won't be your wife in a few weeks." Punk remarked. "But today isn't about AJ."

"Sure. Give me the kid." Cal said holding his arms out.

"Do you even know how to hold her?" AJ asked him.

"Like a football." Cal shrugged and AJ shook her head.

"Look, in that bag is her bottle, diapers, toys, books-" Punk began to explain.

"I don't need my replacement to tell me how to take care of my own child." Cal said grabbing Brooke from him.

"Let us say goodbye." AJ said and he held Brooke away

"You're going to upset her more." Cal warned her. "Just get out."

"Phil." AJ said looking up to him.

"If she isn't in perfect condition when we come to get her, I'm going to hurt you." Punk threatened.

"I'm not going to hurt a baby." Cal told him growing slightly nervous.

"He'll hurt you badly." AJ added. "Then I'll kill you."

"Relax." Cal said to them. "I've got this."

"I don't believe that." AJ remarked. "Mommy loves you." She said blowing Brooke a kiss who was crying.

The second Punk and AJ stepped out the door Brooke was sobbing which made AJ cry

"I can't leave her there." AJ said to him. "She needs us!"

"We have to do this." Punk reminded her trying to remain strong himself but looking back at the door.

"He's yelling at her!" AJ cried hearing Cal already lose his cool with Brooke.

"Ape-" He began trying to remain the strong one but once he heard Cal yell again Punk banged on the door.

"What!" Cal yelled.

"She needs me." AJ said trying to get in the apartment.

"She's fine. Kids cry it out." Cal told her.

"Where is she? Why aren't you holding her?" AJ asked.

"She's on the floor." He told her.

"She's crawling now you have to watch her!" AJ yelled.

"I'm trying to!" He yelled back.

"Relax." Punk warned him. "Brooke can read your vibe if you're tense she'll be tense."

"I can't help but be tense with you two not letting me spend time with my daughter!" He yelled over Brooke's cries.

"Just watch her!" AJ cried.

"I'm not sure who cries more you or the kid." Cal said to her.

"Brooke." AJ stated calmly. "Her name is Brooke, not kid."

"Fuck of." Cal said annoyed and Punk grabbed his face.

"What was that?" Punk asked and Cal was nervous.

"Nothing. I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"If you can't handle her crying which she'll probably do the whole time then do the right thing and give her back to us." Punk told her. "She's in a strange place with a guy who doesn't even remember her name."

"I've got this." Cal said to him and Punk let him go.

"We'll be around." AJ warned him. "And watch her!" she yelled pointing inside and Cal slammed the door shut.

* * *

Punk and AJ didn't even venture off the floor. After twenty minutes Cal texted AJ to come get Brooke and AJ knocked on the door immediately.

"Jesus." Cal said annoyed letting them back in. "No trust."

"I knew you'd crack." AJ said seeing Brooke crying on the floor. "Mama's here." She said picking her up and AJ frowned. "What happened to her eye?"

"What?" Cal asked and Punk walked over to inspect it. "Oh I was trying to get her to play with her stupid toy and I dropped it."

"On her face?" AJ hissed. "This is what I was talking about." AJ told Punk. "Never again!" she warned Cal as she grabbed her baby bag.

"She's so dramatic." Cal said as AJ walked out of the apartment ahead of Punk.

"What are you hoping to get out of this?" Punk asked him seriously. "She's never going back to you, Brooke will never bond with you- what is it you're trying to prove?"

"I like to see her." Cal said to him. "I got banned from the diner in case you haven't heard."

"Oh, I've heard." Punk said to him. "It's over between you two you should move on."

"I don't want to move on." Cal told him. "You don't know Apey like I know her. I've known her almost her entire life."

"She hates you." Punk told him. "The fact that you can't bond with Brooke makes her hate you even more if that's even possible."

"I didn't want to be a father." Cal reminded him.

"So you should have used a condom." Punk said to him. "We're going to revisit these mandatory visits since you can't hack it."

"I didn't use a condom because she is MY wife." Cal told Punk before he could leave.

"I don't use a condom either." Punk smirked and Cal's face fell. "But that's because she prefers it that way."

"Probably trying to trap you with a kid that's actually yours." Cal said to him.

"Brooke is mine as far as I'm concerned." Punk told him and Cal glared at him.

"Except she's not. And the older she gets she's going to realize she doesn't really look like you, she'll look like me and she'll ask why and you'll have to explain what a whore her mother was." Cal told him and Punk grabbed him again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Cal nearly cried.

"Watch how you speak about her." Punk warned him. "She's the mother of your child show some respect or I'll beat the respect into you."

"Phil, don't let him do this." AJ said from the door. "He's dying for you to hit him."

"What? No!" Cal said looking at her then Punk. "Seriously, no."

"Brooke wants you." AJ told Punk and he instantly let go of Cal. "See? He's right here." AJ said to Brooke who reached her arms for Punk and he took her from AJ.

* * *

"Is her eye ok?" AJ asked Punk as he fed her dinner.

"Yea it's ok. It's just red." He said eyeing it.

"I knew he'd suck at this." AJ said to him.

"Yea, well let's just hope he realizes he's in way over his head." Punk said looking down at Brooke. "Babies aren't easy to handle, forget about it if you've never been around one before."

"Do you realize I've been living here for over a year?" AJ asked him and he smirked.

"Feels like yesterday." He teased.

"Do you think Cal is going to keep up with seeing her? What if she's like six and he still insists on seeing her it's going to confuse her." AJ told him.

"How so?" He asked.

"I don't want her to think he's her father." AJ told him.

"You'll never tell her that Cal is her biological father?" Punk asked curiously. "I'm not judging, I'm just curious."

"Of course I'll tell her, when she's old enough to understand." AJ said picking up Brooke's room. "Right now she's so confused."

"She's your child, you handle it the way you want." Punk reminded her and she frowned.

"I know you're not legally her parent or biologically but you ARE her parent." AJ told him. "You provide a roof over her head, you care for her, you love her- you get a say in her life. You're more than just a landlord."

"You think so?" He asked and she smiled.

"You are her best friend in the whole wide world." AJ smirked leaning over his shoulder to smile at Brooke.

"I think Larry is." Punk smirked.

"Nah." AJ said. "Look at how she looks at you."

"She does seem to like me." Punk had to admit.

"Where do you see this going?" She asked and he looked up at her.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean, what are we?" She questioned. "We sleep together, we raise Brooke together but I feel like we're still strangers sometimes."

"Really?" He asked surprised.

"Yea I mean I go to work, you stay home and watch Brooke because you can't trust a sitter-" She began.

"They were all fucking crazy! Every last sitter." He informed her. "I thought things were going smoothly..."

"They are it's just I feel like you and I went from strangers to being an old married living together couple." AJ told him.

"I can see that." He said to her. "What can we do to fix that?"

"I mean I know nights out aren't too often because we do have Brooke and you are so picky on who you let babysit her-"

"Moe was the WORST babysitter on this planet." Punk reminded her annoyed. "He had her up all night!"

"Point is maybe more us time." She said to him. "Or even more group things. But I feel like I don't know you."

"You do know me." Punk shrugged. "You know my issues with my biological parents, you know my adopted mother and sisters-"

"I know it's just I feel like we missed a lot." She said to him.

"I get what you're saying. We went to being an old married couple minus the being old and married part." He agreed a bit.

"I mean, you're old." She teased and he glared at her. "I'm young."

"Right." He forced out. "Your mommy is mean to me." He told Brooke and AJ laughed.

"I was thinking of taking Brooke to Puerto Rico." AJ told him and he frowned.

"And what about me? I mean is something wrong? I know you feel like we skipped some steps but-" He began to rambled.

"Not for good, you dork." She laughed and he felt relieved. "For like a vacation."

"Oh." he said catching on. "To see your grandparents?"

"My parents are living out there too now." She told him and he eyed her. "I lived in Puerto Rico and it would be nice to show Brooke around."

"You want your parents to meet Brooke." He said knowing. "Your grandparents too."

"I mean, how could they not love her?" AJ asked almost hopefully and Punk's heart broke for her. Her family wouldn't accept Brooke, they didn't even accept AJ. She was setting herself up for disappointment. AJ had told Punk how volatile her childhood was. Her parents married young, her mom wasn't well, her father was in and out of prison but for some reason AJ vied for their affection.

"When are you going?" Punk asked quietly.

"I was thinking next week? Moe is having the work done on the diner so it will be closed." She told him. "I want you to come with us." she told him and he was surprised.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Yea." She smiled. "I mean it would be nice if I could treat you to something for a change and I want to be in a really romantic place with you."

"Alright." He smiled. "I'll follow you two anywhere, you know that. But I don't know about the treating."

"It's my treat!" She warned him. "I already ordered the flight tickets hoping you'd agree and I just need to book a place."

"It's kind of last minute, no?" He asked.

"Yea but there's always something somewhere." She told him.

"Here." Punk said standing up and passing Brooke to her. "You get to burp her."

"And what are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm booking us a place." He told her and glared at him.

"I said this is my treat!" She argued.

"You can pay for the flights, but I'm getting us a good place to stay because I know you like to forget, I'm a bit of a big deal." He said almost smugly and she rolled her eyes. "And you can pay me back while we're away."

"I'll never be able to afford what ever place you pick for us to stay." She groaned a bit as she patted Brooke's back.

"Not with money." He smirked.

"Oh." AJ smiled catching on. "That's doable I suppose."

"Just uh- do me a favor and don't get your hopes up when it comes to your family." He said to her.

"I'm not." She lied, she was a terrible liar.

"Alright, do you have the flight information so I know where to book this place?" He asked.

"It's in the office." She told him and he nodded.

Punk looked back for a minute at AJ burping Brooke and he had to smile. This was his life now. He felt bad AJ felt they missed some steps, and they did. They didn't do the whole 'getting to know you' over dinner and dates like most couples but he did know her. He felt he knew her better than anyone on this planet did. It was hard to 'date' when you had a newborn home. He kind of dropped the ball on the romance aspect when it came to AJ and it wasn't because he didn't want to romance her, they were just always too busy.

AJ deserved to be romanced, she deserved to be courted, she didn't get any of that from Cal. He didn't want her settling for less. AJ had no idea what she was missing out on and now he felt he cheated her out of the experience that she didn't even know she was missing. He adored Brooke but he needed AJ to know their relationship wasn't just because Brooke was in the picture.

"What are you looking at, creep?" AJ asked teasingly as she caught Punk looking.

"Just two of my favorite people." He smirked.

"He says we're his favorite but I know you're his number one favorite." She told Brooke. "And Larry is second." she added as she burped Brooke.

"Wiseass." Punk smirked and walked out of the room.


	12. Sister Thing

**Sister Thing**

* * *

Arriving in Puerto Rico was rough. Brooke was not happy on the flight, it was raining and Brooke's suitcase was lost at the airport.

"This was a bad idea." AJ said walking into the resort room Punk booked. "Maybe not." She said admiring the room. It was gorgeous. Way over the top. The floor plan was open. The kitchen, the living room, the terrace, there was a bar area, a little waterfall inside the room.

"I was thinking about what you said to me last week." He said dropping their suitcases as she held onto Brooke.

"Did I mention I wanted a waterfall in the living room?" She asked stunned and he had to laugh.

"No you mentioned we skipped some steps and we have." He agreed. "I want to woo you."

"You've already wooed me." She smirked.

"No." He said shaking his head. "This is what I've been missing too. The adventure, the spontaneous trips, the romance."

"Romance?" She asked amused.

"Yes. Romance." He confirmed. "I really think I've thought of everything."

"It's going to be hard to romance with this one crying to be held by you at two in the morning." She teased nodding at Brooke in her arms.

"Thought of that too." Punk grinned proudly. "And you know you're my favorite girl ever." He said taking Brooke from her and kissing her cheek. "But I need some time with my other girl, you understand?" He asked Brooke.

"Oh, that will work." AJ laughed.

"She knows what I'm saying." Punk said as Brooke grabbed at his nose.

"I don't think so." AJ smirked.

"That's ok, because I have a backup plan." He said to her. "I've hired a sitter."

"In Puerto Rico?" She asked stunned. "You're out of your mind."

"Relax." Punk said to her.

"Where is my room?" Colt asked walking in from the back.

"Next door." Punk reminded him. "How did you get in here?"

"Our rooms are basically connected!" Colt laughed. "The four of us are going to have a great time."

"Romantic." AJ teased.

"No, no." Punk said shaking his head. "Your room is next door. You were bought on this trip to babysit some nights not crash in my room."

"Your room is ten times the size of my room." Colt argued.

"This is a free trip for you." Punk reminded him.

"Yea, yea." Colt said taking Brooke from him. "See? She loves me more."

"No she doesn't." Punk argued.

"He's so jealous." Colt said to AJ as he kissed her on the cheek hello.

"You really went all out." AJ said fondly.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Punk told her smugly. "Just you wait until you see what I have up my sleeve."

"I'm excited." She grinned.

"Ew." Colt said walking away with the baby.

* * *

Before their date night Punk and AJ had to shop for Brooke. She was cranky and tired from the flight so she stayed back with Colt while they hit up a local shop.

"Look how cute this suit is!" AJ smiled holding up a little two piece.

"A two piece? She's not even one." Punk said taking it out of her hand and putting it back on the hanger.

"Oh boy." She smirked.

"What?" He asked. "It just seems silly."

"You're going to be one of those." AJ laughed a bit to herself.

"One of what?" He asked as he watched AJ pick through the clothes.

"Those dads who don't want their daughter wearing anything but long dresses with sleeves and collars." she said to him.

"I mean, what's so wrong with that?" He asked seriously and she laughed.

"Is this ok with you?" She asked holding up a cute little one piece.

"Yup." Punk said to her. "She'll need a hat though."

"You know she'll never keep a hat on." AJ laughed.

"The sun is going to be too strong." He argued lightly.

"She'll need some sleep stuff." She told Punk.

"I can pick that crap out." Punk said with ease and walked across the store.

Punk was simply grabbing anything and everything of high quality.

"Do you need some help?" An older sales woman questioned.

"Oh, no." Punk said waving it off. "I think I have this part covered."

"Does your wife need to approve?" The woman teased with an accent.

"Oh, she's not my wife." Punk said not even giving it thought as he rummaged through the clothes in Brooke's size.

"I thought I didn't see a ring." She smiled brightly but Punk was barely listening. "Shopping for your niece?"  
Punk was never sure how to answer what Brooke was to him. AJ always made it clear he was part of his life and a father figure but he didn't want to overstep when it came to Brooke.

"Something like that." Punk smirked.

"Where are you from? I love your accent." The woman smiled.

"Chicago." Punk said as he threw more clothes in the basket. "Is this the best quality you have?"

"This is all designer." The woman practically purred. "You must love your niece a lot."

"I do." Punk said absentmindedly.

"So, how long are you in town for?" She asked.

"The week." He said checking the sizes on some other things. "This hat is good for an almost seven month old, right?"

"Sure." She nodded fondly. "I love this." She said running her hand gently up his arm. "The colors on your arm gorgeous."

"Oh, it's just tattoos." He said looking at her hand on his arm.

"I'd love to hear about them. The stories behind them." She said eyeing him with doe eyes.

"Phil." AJ said behind him.

"Your sister." The worker nodded and Punk looked towards AJ and let out a chuckle.

"That's not what it sounds like." Punk said knowing AJ was pissed.

"Sister?" AJ asked coldly.

"No-" Punk began as AJ turned around and walked off. "Ape!"

"She seems upset." The woman noted and Punk just followed after AJ.

"You can't even tell that woman you're with me?" AJ asked him as he tugged on her arm gently so she'd turn around.

"I wasn't even paying attention to what she was saying!" He laughed.

"It's not funny! How would you feel if I told a man hitting on me that you were my brother?" She asked.

"I'd feel nothing." Punk shrugged. "He'd feel the punch to his face tho."

"Double standard." AJ huffed. "That's too much for her."

"She needs more stuff." Punk shrugged. "Don't be mad."

"Don't be mad? Your sister?" AJ asked still annoyed. "What you do to me would be illegal if I were your sister."

"I wasn't paying attention she asked if I was married." He argued.

"Women only ask if you are married if they want to sleep with you." She informed him.

"That's not true." He laughed.

"You think this is so funny." She said shaking her head.

"It is a little." he teased.

"If a man came up to me and asked me if I was married he would be doing so because he'd want to sleep with me." She informed him.

"Yea but that doesn't really matter because you're technically married and I'm sleeping with you." He pointed out and she just rolled her eyes and walked away. "Ape! Come on!" he sighed chasing after her.

* * *

Half an hour later Punk and AJ walked back into their resort room with bags filled with stuff for Brooke, AJ was still not speaking to him.

"What happened?" Colt asked.

"Phil was flirting with the woman in the shop and then told her I was his sister." AJ told Colt for Punk.

"Dude." Colt said shaking his head in surprise.

"I didn't say that. The woman just thought it." Punk told him.

"You're messed up." Colt said to him and AJ nodded behind him.

"Come on." Punk said amused. "I wouldn't try to pick up another woman with AJ standing right there!"

"So if she wasn't right there you would have?" Colt asked before AJ could.

"That's not what I meant and fuck off." Punk said to Colt.

"If it's not what you meant why did you say it?" AJ asked him. "I mean I thought we were together."

"We are!" He said with a loud laugh. "I'm not with other women!"

"Because I'm around too much." She mumbled under her breath.

"No, because I love YOU." He said to her.

"I told you if I wasn't enough for you-" She began.

"Dude, you suck." Colt said to Punk.

"Go watch Brooke." Punk snapped at him. "That's why you're here."

"She's sleeping like an angel." Colt said waving it off.

"Now." Punk said and Colt rolled his eyes and walked away.

"You are enough for me." Punk said grabbing her hands. "I love you."

"She was pretty." AJ noted.

"Was she? I didn't even look her." He told her and AJ eyed him. "Come on, don't let this ruin our vacation." he pleaded lightly and kissed her cheek. "Please?" he asked kissing down her neck now.

"I guess." AJ forced out.

"I have such a fun night planned for us." He said as he played with her blouse.

"Yea?" She asked as she let him untie her top from the front.

"Oh, yea." He said looking down at her breasts as he exposed them. "Really fun stuff."

"Can we have fun right now?" She asked grabbing onto him over his jeans and he hissed a bit. "Maybe I need to mark you up with hickeys." she said as she didn't ease her grip but he gently backed her into the wall.

"I wouldn't complain." he smirked as he felt her playing with his zipper and he reached under her skirt and tugged down her panties.

Punk lifted AJ up and wrapped legs around his waist as his jeans fell around his ankles.

"That's it." Punk groaned as he pierced her against her the wall.

In-between gasps and moans AJ would battle his tongue as he pushed her to the edge.

"Right there." AJ moaned as she let her legs drop and the only thing keeping her pinned to the wall now was Punk inside of her.

"Fuck." Punk groaned as he moved faster and faster into her body.

AJ grabbed his face and kissed him deeply as her orgasm rocked through her soul. She knew there were people in the next room and had to keep it down and thankfully Punk stifled some of her moans. He went next into her body and kissed her but not to silence himself but to thank her.

"I love you." he told her in a whisper.

"I love you too." She said cupping his face and kissing him again.

* * *

Later that night Punk and AJ were at the resort restaurant. Her hair was pinned up in a loose bun on top of her head with a few strands falling out, black cocktail dress with heels and he was dressed in all black as well.

"I feel guilty eating out here while Colt is just sitting back in the room." AJ told him.

"He's getting a ton of room service, he's ordering movies, he'll live." Punk said reading over the menu.

"Thank you for coming with me." She said to him.

"I love coming with you." He replied casually without even taking his eyes of the menu.

"I meant to Puerto Rico!" She blushed brightly.

"Oh, right." He smirked. "I didn't want you to face your family alone and I wanted to spend some time away from Chicago with you. When you came to LA with me I was working most of the time. This is going to a fun filled trip."

"I agree." AJ said looking at her menu innocently. Her chin resting on her hand as she looked at the menu laying in front of her and Punk looked up and eyed her.

"Be nice." He said to her.

"What am I doing?" She asked sweetly.

Under the table AJ was running her foot gently up and down his leg, clearly kicking her foot out of the heel.

"I really need to eat and you're trying to cut this dinner short." He smirked and she smiled slowly. "Candles lit, beautiful ocean view." he pointed out. "Flowers and music."

"It is romantic." AJ agreed. "But not to kill the mood but I keep thinking about what you said at the shop."

"Jesus, the sister thing again?" He asked annoyed.

"No!" She said quickly. "The dig about me being married."

"That wasn't meant as a dig." He said putting his menu down. "I was just teasing."

"I was just wondering if you don't consider me real to you because I am still legally married? If that was the case I completely understand-"

"You are real to me and what we have is very real." He said to her. "The marriage thing does bother me though."

"I'm sorry." She frowned.

"It's not because of you." He said to her. "I'm old schooled, I'm jealous, I just- I hate that another man has claim to you. And it's not just emotionally but legally. If something happens to you he calls all of the shots."

"First of all Cal has no claim to me emotionally." AJ told him seriously. "I haven't loved Cal since a month after our wedding."

"What went wrong?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?" She asked. "We've talked about Cal."

"Yea but what happened? I know no one wakes up one day and says 'hey, I don't love this person anymore' so I'm just curious." Punk said to her.

"That's exactly what happened." AJ told him. "It was a month into our marriage and I was laying up in bed and he asked me to get breakfast ready. I don't mind cooking and I know a wife has duties to her husband but it was every single day, not one day did he say 'hey let me cook you something' or even just let me sleep. It had become this routine for him. He never thanked me." she told him. "It used to make me so mad." She said thinking about it. "And that fourth week of marriage is when it hit me. If he's this bad now he'll only get worse. This one morning he was leaving for work and he dropped he flung his coffee mug against the wall because I prepared it wrong and then used his booth to step on the glass and crush it more just to spite me. I picked up a bigger piece of glass and I remember wanting to cut him with it." she told him. "Please don't think I'm crazy-"

"No. I get it." He assured her. "It kind of sound like-"

"-prison." She finished for him. "I couldn't see my friends he always had chores for me to do."

"Why didn't you just leave?" He asked her.

"Because he was all I had and no one had ever loved me before. He's a horrible monster but I believed him when he said he loved me." She told him honestly. "I didn't have my family, my friends moved away then we ended up moving away and I didn't make enough money to just go."

"I'm not judging you." He promised her.

"I know you're not and you have every right to ask." AJ told him. "Ask me anything you want."

"I just find it so hard to believe that someone like you who is strong and independent took that crap from Cal." he admitted.

"I didn't know any better." AJ told him honestly. "You helped me grow. You helped me understand my worth."

"You're worth everything." He told her without missing a beat.

"You have no idea what you've done for me." She told him grabbing his hand. "It hasn't just been the obvious stuff like taking me in and helping me with Brooke you've taught me a lot about me."

"You don't know how much that means to me." He said to her feeling his heart swell.

"I mean you took a random chance on some chick from a diner." She said to him. "You're pretty amazing."

"You weren't random." Punk told her. "Do you think I liked going all the way across town to that diner?"

"I thought you didn't want to be recognized." She said remembering what he told her last year before even really knowing each other.

"I did go in there the first time by chance. I didn't want to be seen but I wanted to eat out I needed out of my house for a meal. I went back the next day because I kind of liked the dorky waitress waiting on me." he told her and her whole face lit up.

"I told you I was married." She reminded him. "Have a thing for married women?"

"No." He laughed a bit. "But for some reason I just didn't care. You didn't wear ring and you didn't seem happy so I thought I'd go in there every day and at least get to talk to you. I liked you for you." he told her honestly. "You made me laugh for this brief minutes of the day, you didn't know me, you didn't want anything from me but my order. It was refreshing."

"I've never been called refreshing before." She teased.

"You are." He told her and kissed her hand.

"This is going to be a good trip." She smiled as he held onto her hand.


	13. Stranger In The Night

**Stranger In The Night**

* * *

The next morning AJ was up and feeding Brooke while Punk prepared for their day at the beach.

"You're taking her today?" Colt asked freely walking into their room.

"Yea, we usually take her most places." Punk mocked.

"No I mean I don't have to watch her." Colt said. "I have a date."

"What?" Punk asked. "How do you have a date?"

"Chick magnet." Colt said to Punk.

"Wasn't that your old wrestling name?" AJ asked Punk with a laugh.

"Maybe." He mumbled. "You are not a chick magnet."

"No I'm not." He agreed. "She is." He said pointing at Brooke. "I took her to that little park on the resort and all these single moms were there with their  
kids."

"At a resort?" AJ asked surprised.

"Yea! I know!" Colt grinned. "And everyone swarmed me because they all think Brooke is the cutest baby alive."

"Don't use her to pick up dates." Punk scolded.

"She's my chick magnet. She's the only way I get dates. People love a grieving single father." He told them.

"Grieving?" AJ asked.

"Father?" Punk asked next.

"I mean, I had to make up a story as to why I didn't have a wife with me." Colt explained. "I mean babies come from somewhere."

"Her mother is right there." Punk said pointing.

"Yea, but then why would we be on vacation together? Makes no sense." Colt said and AJ laughed.

"What did your wife die from?" AJ asked curiously.

"You're feeding into this?" Punk asked her.

"I'm curious." AJ shrugged innocently.

"Boating accident." Colt told her seriously.

"Jesus." Punk groaned shaking his head. "And where is Brooke going to be today while you're on your date?"

"She's staying with her grandmother since my imaginary mom really wants me to get back out there." Colt told him.

"Have fun." AJ smiled.

"Don't encourage the madness." Punk warned her as Colt left.

"He can't just be a sitter, he deserves a fun date." AJ told him.

"You think she's going to like the beach?" Punk asked.

"I don't know she's still super young." AJ noted.

"Well, I love the beach." Punk said to her.

"Really?" AJ asked and Punk nodded. "I mean I love the beach myself."

"Then she'll love it." Punk said with ease. "Getting anxious?" he asked AJ who had been a bit quiet this morning.

"A little. Starting to think this wasn't a good idea." She admitted. "Why am I showing up at a place I clearly was never wanted?"

"You don't have to see your family." He reminded her. "This is can be strictly a vacation."

"Part of me feels like I need to try just one more time to say I did." She said to him.

"I support whatever you decide." He assured her.

"Maybe I should go see them alone." She said to him and he didn't say anything. "What? Bad idea?"

"No but I'd just prefer to be with you." He told her.

"I don't know." She said unsurely. "I have some time to think it over."

"That you do." He agreed.

* * *

At the beach Brooke couldn't truly enjoy it but she seemed to enjoy herself as Punk took her by the water so the waves could wash up on her feet as Punk held her up. AJ took pictures from her chair and smiled at the two.

"Beautiful woman." A man greeted looking down at AJ.

"Thanks." AJ blushed a bit self conscienceless.

"Ricardo." He greeted sticking his hand out.

"April." She said shaking his hand but he didn't let go.

"Would you like to take a walk down the beach with me?" He asked.

"No." AJ said standing up as he held onto her hand.

"I won't bite." He grinned.

"I might." She warned tugging her hand away.

"I'd like that." Ricardo grinned.

"I'm here with my daughter and boyfriend." She told him.

"I like kids." Ricardo told her and she rolled her eyes.

"You probably wouldn't like my boyfriend." She informed him.

"I doubt he would." Punk said standing behind Ricardo holding Brooke.

"Sorry." Ricardo said quickly and scurried off.

"Creep." Punk mumbled as he sat down in his chair with Brooke. "You don't have to worry about creeps though, I'll make sure you never leave the house to date." He told her.

"Don't tell her that." AJ smiled sitting back down as well.

"I'm just being honest with her." Punk shrugged.

"She liked the water, huh?" AJ asked eyeing her happy daughter.

"She did." Punk smirked. "She'll be a water bug. They do classes at the Y for like baby swimming."

"Isn't she young?" AJ frowned.

"Yea but they do classes for all ages. Sometimes it's just a bonding thing. Babies love the water." Punk smirked then made a face at Brooke causing her to smile.

"That's something to look into." She agreed.

"You're awfully quiet today." He noted.

"Nerves." She admitted. "You know, obviously when I found out I was pregnant I wasn't thrilled but now I can't imagine not having her in my life."

"I told you that would happen." He reminded her smugly.

"It's just I don't know how family can turn their back on family, you know?" she asked.

"Well, I'm the wrong to ask because you know my issues with my parents." He told her.

"That's different. You cut them out, not the other way around." She pointed out.

"I still don't understand." Punk said to her. "Your parents just up and left?"

"My dad did. Turns out he went away for six months and my mom had a breakdown and took off. My grandparents took me in." She reminded him.

"But you never saw them again?" He asked.

"My dad walked me down the aisle, my mom couldn't make it she said." She told him. "We tried to stay in touch but numbers change and then I moved to Chicago with Cal."

"And your grandparents?" He asked.

"They didn't approve of my plans to leave Cal. They don't believe in divorce. Last time I spoke to them I told them I was pregnant and when they asked about Cal and I said I wasn't with him they hung up." She told him. "They adored Cal."

"Why?" Punk asked scrunching up his face.

"He was our neighbor growing up and knew him his whole life. He was always good acting. Always put on a big show." She said to him.

"Did you tell them how awful he was to you?" Punk asked.

"I was ashamed." She admitted. "It's embarrassing."

"You shouldn't be embarrassed." He said shaking his head.

"It is though." She explained. "I've always been this wiseass tough chick but Cal beat me down mentally. I didn't want to brag about how awful he had been to me."

"I think when your grandparents see Brooke they'll melt." he told her and she smiled a bit.

"That's what I'm banking on." She told him. "I mean I want her to have some sort of extended family."

"Yea but if it doesn't work out with them Brooke still has a family." Punk reminded her. "She'd be happy if it was just you our a hundred people."

"I guess." She said to him.

* * *

Later that night AJ was outside her grandparents house. She was very nervous but the lights were on so they were home.

"Do I look ok?" AJ asked Punk quickly as they waited for them to answer the door.

"Beautiful." he said to her.

The door swung up open and AJ's face dropped.

"Apey." Cal greeted with a grin.

"What-" She began.

"Your grandparents offered me a place to crash once I said I was coming to town to try to spend some time with my daughter." Cal grinned.

"This was a waste of time." AJ said quietly to Punk.

"There's my girl." He said reaching for Brooke who was in AJ's arms.

"Hey!" Punk yelled grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. "You have a set visitation and that's not today so if you put your hands on Brooke I'm obligated to break them."

"That's my daughter!" Cal yelled. "She's my wife!"

"You really want to do this again?" Punk asked not letting him go.

"It's not your time with her." AJ reminded Cal.

"I never get time with her. I was just explaining that to your grandparents actually." Cal said pushing away from Punk. "I can't bond with her when she's always with you and your rich boyfriend."

"Phil being rich has nothing to do with his bond to Brooke." AJ informed him. "Him being a good man does."

"A good man? Do you even know him?" Cal asked her.

"I know him very well. We've lived together for over a year and he's been the one helping me raise Brooke." She reminded him.

"He gives you money." Cal scoffed.

"He doesn't just give us money. I work, Cal." She reminded him. "And yes he does provide for Brooke-"

"You don't have to explain anything to him." Punk pointed out to AJ but keeping his eyes on Cal.

"-no he should hear this." AJ insisted. "He provides for Brooke and you choose not to."

"You didn't ask for money!" Cal yelled.

"I shouldn't have had to!" She yelled back.

"Ape, let's just go." Punk said to her.

"You have no interest in providing for your daughter financially or emotionally, you don't even know her middle name! You have never tried to bond with her and you don't want to! Did you tell my grandparents how you demanded I get an abortion and hit me when I told you no? Did you tell them how you would take all of my money? How you told me you'd get me a 'free' abortion? Tell them how you wouldn't let me out of the house except for work and would show up at my job screaming and yelling at me over the most ridiculous things!" AJ shouted.

"They're sleeping, Apey." Cal frowned. "Try to keep it down."

"You are a piece of shit. You are dragging out this divorce because you can't let me go." She said shaking her head.

"I'm dragging it out because you are MY wife and I'm the ruler of the house!" He yelled so loud she flinched with Brooke in her arms.

"You're not the ruler of anything." Punk informed calmly. "You are going to get this divorce and then you'll move on because you'll have no interest in Brooke with AJ out of reach."

"AJ will always be in reach with Brooke involved." Cal informed smugly. "And I plan on staying as involved with Brooke as much as the courts allow me as long as she's still living with you."

"You're unbelievable." AJ said disgusted. "Let us live our lives. Let us be happy with Phil."

"Over my dead body." Cal shot at her.

"Don't give me any ideas." Punk warned him.

"Are you threatening me?" Cal asked Punk. "Hasn't your career suffered enough? Do you really need this kind of scandal?"

"Don't you attack him." AJ warned Cal.

"He's a loser, Apey." Cal informed her. "Have you seen his fights!?"

"I'm not even mad." Punk informed him. "I lost my fights and ended up at your wife's diner now I sleep with her every night. How do you spend your nights?"

"Not waking up to feed a crying kid." Cal remarked.

"We're done." AJ said to him. "I'm calling my lawyer the second we get back home and I'm going to let her know how you're harassing me and followed me to my family home and tried to break the visitation rules."

"You can't do that!" Cal warned grabbing her arm before she could walk away with Brooke still in her arms and Punk shoved Cal so hard he went through the front door.

"Touch her again." Punk challenged.

"April?" Her grandmother asked appearing at the door.

"This was a bad idea." AJ said looking at her grandmother. "Phil?" she asked and he followed her away from the house.

"Your grandmother is right there, she looks like she'll talk to you." Punk said stopping her before they made their way to the rental.

AJ looked back at her grandmother who was helping Cal and shook her head.

"That's not my family." AJ said to him. "You and Brooke are my family." she said then walked off ahead of Punk.

* * *

"You ok?" Punk asked wrapping his arms around AJ and resting his face against her shoulder.

"Yea." She replied quietly.

"Did you sleep at all?" He asked her with a yawn kissing her shoulder.

"A little." She sighed rolling onto her back to face him. "I haven't heard Brooke all night so I assume she'll be up soon."

"Probably." Punk remarked tiredly. "You sure you're ok?"

"What can I do? I'm not going to have that family for Brooke and it sucks because when she starts school her family map is going to be fucked up." She told him.

"I think Brooke is going to grow up as smart as her mother and know that even though her family is different she is loved so much." Punk said to her.

"I hope so." AJ said to him. "I'm worried Cal is going to put up a big fight. He knows the walls are closing in. He couldn't even handle his alone visitation with her."

"He's going to back down." Punk assured her.

"God I hope so." She said sitting up. "I'm going to check on Brooke."

Punk rolled onto his back next and closed his eyes for a few minutes until he heard AJ screaming and his eyes shot open. He wasn't sure what she was yelling but he jumped out of bed and ran into the room across the hall that was Brooke's nursery.

"Phil she's not here!" AJ screamed frantically.

"What-" He began but he froze, he was in absolute shock and terrified.

"Colt! Maybe Colt took her next door?" AJ asked Punk.

"I'll go there." he said running out of the room.

AJ checked around the nursery even though she knew Brooke obviously wasn't there. She knew deep down in her gut something terrible had happened. She ran around the entire resort room and didn't see a sign of her daughter anywhere. She went back into the nursery and noticed that the baby monitor was turned off and frowned. Someone came in and took her and made sure she wouldn't have heard them.

"She's not there!" Punk yelled.

"We have to call the police." She said swallowing a lump in her throat. "Phil, someone took her!"


	14. Damn Shame

**Damn Shame**

* * *

"I've told you what she wearing, what does it matter? She's a little bitty baby!" AJ yelled at the officer.

The resort room was filled with nearly twenty cops, detectives and whoever else. AJ wasn't even sure anymore. She felt like she had been telling the same officer over and over again what Brooke was wearing.

"My soon to be ex-husband took her! I know him! He's a spiteful son of a bitch." AJ hissed.

"So he's your legal husband still?" The officer asked her.

"What does it matter?" AJ asked him. "We have a court issued custody agreement and if he took her that's a felony!"

"Yes it is." The officer agreed. "You all came on vacation together?"

"No! My ex wasn't invited he followed us down here." AJ told him.

"To spend time with his daughter?" The officer asked her.

"No! He doesn't like her! He only hangs onto her because he thinks it will keep him close to me which is why you have to find her right away! He has no connection to her, he doesn't like her, he will hurt her, he has no idea how to care for her!"

"We're doing everything in our power to find her." The cop told her.

"How? By grilling me and my boyfriend?" AJ asked. "Cal Malone is a hateful human and he has no use for Brooke." She told him desperately.

Across the room Punk was being interviewed by a police officer.

"And you heard nothing?" The Detective asked him.

"No." Punk said to him. "If I heard something I would have gotten up. AJ noticed the baby monitor was turned off in the nursery."

"Is the baby-" The Detective began.

"Brooke." He corrected. "Her name is Brooke not 'the baby'."

"I apologize." The Detective said to him. "Is Brooke comfortable with Cal Malone?"

"No." Punk said to him. "He's terrible with her. He has no ambition to even try with her. He is desperate to cling onto AJ and she made it very clear to him last night that he violated the custody order by following us out here and trying to take her from AJ."

"We went by Ms. Mendez's grandparents house and they said Cal left last night to travel home but he wasn't on any flights so he's here somewhere." The Detective told him.

"He better be." Punk told him. "Cal has been abusive to AJ." He informed the detective. "We came together because he wanted her to get rid of the baby and now he's going to try to get rid of her. He's a sociopath."

"We're looking everywhere." The Detective assured him. "He won't get off this island with her."

"He could have had her for hours." Punk insisted. "We went to bed early and didn't hear her and she usually sleeps through the night."

"We're checking the resort cameras." He told Punk.

"This guy is going to jail for this, right?" Punk asked him.

"If what you're saying is true and he violated a custody agreement then yes he's going to prison. This is considered kidnapping. It doesn't matter if he's married to Ms. Mendez or Brooke's biological father."

"He truly has no interest in her." Punk told the Detective. "Find her before he gets sick of her." he pleaded. "He had her for fifteen minutes and she had a black eye."

"What?" The Detective asked.

"He said she dropped her toy on her face." Punk told him.

"Was this reported to your judge?" He asked and Punk nodded as the Detective jotted it down. "Like I told you if he's still on this island he's not getting off of it."

"Phil." AJ said walking over to him as Colt talked to other cops.

"They're going to get her back." He promised her as AJ wrapped her arms around him.

"She has to be so scared." She said shuddering the thought. "She's probably looking for us." she teared up. "Wondering where we are and why we let some maniac get to her."

"We didn't let him take her." Punk reminded her.

"She should have been in our room." AJ said to Punk.

"Yea, that I agree with." Punk had to admit.

"What the hell were we thinking?" She asked him.

"We weren't thinking that Cal would sneak in the middle of the night and steal her." Punk told her. "I never would have thought of that."

"I threatened him and backed him against the wall and of course he acted out and took her." She told him. "I fucked up so bad-"

"You were saying the right things. You were saying what you thought was right." He told her.

"But it wasn't right and now she's gone. Do you know how many stories there are of bitter exes taking their kids and doing horrible things to them? If he wants to hurt me the way I hurt him he'll hurt her." She told him crying. "He knows you and Brooke are my world and he can't touch you but Brooke is defenseless."

"The police are going to find him." He swore to her. "They are everywhere."

"What if it's too late?" She asked horrified. "What if she's already gone? What if he snuck out of PR and we'll never see her again!"

"He's not. We will find him." He told her.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked him.

"Because she has to be ok and we have to find her. I won't accept any other outcome." He told her almost coldly. "And if I get my hands on him before the police do then I'll be the one locked up for life." he told her and walked away to check in on Colt.

* * *

It had been nearly twelve hours and AJ was sitting on the couch like a stone as police came and went out of the room. She was paralyzed with fear while Punk couldn't sit still. He wanted to be out there searching for Brooke himself. He felt completely useless sitting around doing nothing but the police wanted him and AJ to stay put.

"It's been so many hours." AJ said as Punk walked over to her and she looked up with red swollen eyes. "That's a really bad sign, right?"

"No." He lied shaking his head.

The truth was, as every minute passed Punk grew more and more anxious and concerned. He didn't think Cal would get out of Puerto Rico but he was sure Cal would grow impatient with Brooke. He thought he would have returned with her by now and play it off as he had the right to do this but the longer they were gone the more he feared something went wrong. Police had pulled up footage of Cal leaving the resort with Brooke so it was for sure him, not that they had any doubt.

"She probably hasn't eaten all day." She told Punk as she choked back tears. "This is my karma."

"What are you talking about?" He asked almost annoyed.

"Because I didn't want her when I first heard about her, remember?" She asked.

"No." He said honestly. "I remember you were scared I remember Brooke not being part of your plan but I never once heard you say that you didn't you want her. That you wanted to get rid of her and since the day she was born you've been the most amazing mom." he told her sternly. "You did nothing wrong and Brooke did nothing wrong."

"I just want her back." She cried and he felt his heart break and he finally sat for the first time in hours and wrapped his arms around her. "I won't even be mad at Cal as long as she's ok I don't care."

"She's going to be fine." He forced out.

"I feel it in my heart." She said placing her hand over her chest. "She's hurt and she needs me, us."

"Ms. Mendez." An officer announced walking over and removed his hat and Punk's heart fell. "There was an accident..."

"No." She said crying shaking her head.

"We don't know if it is Mr. Malone and your daughter but we'll need you to ID them. The male didn't have an ID." the officer told her and AJ's face fell.

"What do you mean ID?" Punk snapped standing up.

"It's rainy and a big storm is hitting I guess they swerved off the road and into the water-" He began to explain.

"Oh my god." AJ gasped for air.

"We do not know if it's them for sure. We were told it was a male matching Mr. Malone's description and a child your daughters age-"

"What are the odds it's not them!" Punk yelled. "You told me you would find them!"

"Please, we just need you to come to the hospital." The officer insisted.

"I don't think I can." AJ choked out. "I can't-"

"Ape." Punk sighed looking down at her holding back his own tears

"You're crying." She said looking up at him. "You know it's them too."

"I'll go." Punk said unable to look at AJ's crush face and turned to look at the officer. "She can stay here."

"She's the legal wife and mother. It has to be her." The officer told him quietly.

"Phil." She cried.

"It's ok. I'll be there with you but we have to know." He said helping her up but her knees almost went out.

"I don't want to." She said shaking her head.

"I've got you." He whispered into her ear.

* * *

Once they got to the hospital AJ ventured down the long hall with Punk holding her up practically. His heart was beating so hard and fast that he thought he was going to drop dead right there. AJ's body was shaking so much he thought he'd lose his grip on her and she'd fall. This was the scariest moment of his life. He used to think walking out to the cage was terrifying, going out in front of thousands of people that was nothing in comparison to this. He'd gladly go to one of those other moments in heartbeat and relive it over and over again if it meant he'd never remember this feeling right now. He couldn't even stop his own tears from falling. Any story about a child bothered him, but this was a child he loved like his own, one he thought he'd help raise and watch grow up. He thought he'd give Brooke siblings. He wanted Cal gone but not like this, not at the expense of Brooke.

"It's right here." The officer said opening a door and AJ tried to take in a breath but began to sob.

"Ape." he whispered into her ear.

"I can't." She sobbed and fell to her knees.

"Ms. Mendez." The officer frowned as he helped Punk help her up.

"We don't know it's them." Punk reminded her.

"It has to be." She cried as they headed into the room and Punk couldn't look. He wanted to be the brave one but he couldn't look at a dead child, he couldn't let that be his last memory of Brooke and it was selfish of him but he physically couldn't do it.

"It's not them." AJ said in a voice still crying and Punk looked up finally to confirm that AJ wasn't crazy and she wasn't. "My god." She cried and Punk pulled her against his chest so she didn't have to see the sight in front of her anymore.

"It's not them." Punk confirmed as relief ran through this veins. He felt awful for the two people laying in front of him.

"I need to get out of here." She told Punk and he hurried her out of the room.

AJ felt weak, she couldn't walk another foot. They sat in an empty spot of the hospital so AJ could catch her breath. They weren't far from the room they just went into.

"I can't stand this anymore." AJ said to him. "That poor baby in that room-"

"I know." Punk said unable to shake that image from his head either.

"I just want Brooke and I want to go home. And when we get her home she's moving into our room." She told Punk.

"Absolutely." he agreed without hesitation. "We can move the chair and table out our room and her crib will fit right in that spot." he told her and AJ nodded along. This was all they had to talk about to keep them sane.

"And you were right, we won't let her date or leave the house." She told Punk.

"Agreed." Punk nodded. "Homeschooling is popular nowadays."

"Yes." AJ agreed.

AJ looked up and saw another crying mother make her way down the hall with a police officer and her heart broke for that woman. She was that woman less than half an hour ago. That woman didn't have a Punk with her, that man was probably her husband and she was about to lose her entire world and AJ felt her stomach turn.

"I'm going to be sick." AJ said placing her hand over her mouth and running into the bathroom across the hall.

Punk leaned against the wall for ten minutes until AJ came back out. She was pale and exhausted but he knew they wouldn't sleep until they heard news about Brooke and Cal.

"We should go back to the hotel." Punk told her.

"I can't sit there and do nothing." She said to him.

"They might circle back." Punk reasoned. "You need to rest."

"I can't rest until she's back." AJ said shaking her head.

"Ms. Mendez." The cop who escorted them there greeted.

"She needs to go back to the hotel." Punk told the cop.

"There was a little girl dropped off at the emergency room doors. She's wearing the pajamas you described-" he began and AJ grabbed his arm.

"Where is she?" AJ asked.

"This way." He nodded and they hurried to the elevator.

* * *

AJ walked into a room where a little girl was crying and AJ knew those cries. That was Brooke's 'I'm hungry' cry. She turned the corner and almost fainted for what must have been the third time today.

"Baby!" AJ cried snatching her daughter from the nurses.

"It's alright." The officer told the nurses.

"Mama is here." AJ said kissing her cheek.

"Is she ok?" Punk asked anxiously.

"Dehydrated." The nurse told Punk.

"Where was she?" Punk asked as Brooke's tears slowed down being in her mother's arms again but now AJ was crying more and more.

"She was dropped off." The officer explained to Punk. "No one saw who did it."

"Any bruises or anything?" Punk asked and the nurse shook her head.

"From the looks of it when we first got her she hadn't had a diaper change in hours I'd say almost a day so she has a small rash and she hasn't eaten so we're preparing a bottle." The nurse told him.

"Phil, she's ok." AJ cried with a smile.

Brooke reached her little arms when she saw Punk and he took her from AJ and kissed her cheek before holding her.

"She's getting started on solids and she loves sweet potato, do you have jarred sweet potato?" AJ asked the nurse anxiously.

"Yea we do." The nurse smiled. "I'll go get her some and you can feed her but we'll want to keep her for a bit longer and make sure she eats."

"Fine but we're staying too." AJ told the nurse and the officer nodded to the nurse.

"That's fine." The nurse told her and excused herself.

"He didn't like hurt her, right?" AJ asked the other nurse.

"No. She wasn't well cared for but no visible marks." The nurse assured her.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again." Punk told Brooke as he couldn't stop the few tears escaping his own eyes.

"She's ok." AJ said relieved hugging the two of them.

"What about Cal?" Punk asked the officer.

"No sign of Mr. Malone." The officer told him and Punk looked angry.

"I don't even care at this point, I just wanted my daughter back." She said taking Brooke back from Punk.

"He has to pay for this." Punk told AJ.

"I agree but look." She said holding up Brooke with a teary smile. "We are so lucky. We didn't think this would end like this lets just be happy."

"I'm so fucking happy you have no idea." He told her.

"I know you are." She said grabbing his hand with her free hand. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

"Not letting me fall." She told him. "Reminding me that she was going to be alright."

"I love you both." Punk told her kissing her head.

"We can leave, right?" AJ asked the cop. "I want to go home, my daughter needs to go home."

"Sure." The officer nodded. "We'll follow up before you leave and we can call if anything."

"I can't stay here if Cal is here." AJ told Punk who nodded. "I can't-"

"It's fine. I'll call Colt and tell him Brooke is here and have him book us the first flight out of here." He told her.

"He is still here, right?" AJ asked.

"His face is everywhere. He won't be able to get a plane." The officer assured her and she nodded.

"Good." AJ said kissing her daughters head. "You're going to be safe." She promised her.

"Here's the food." The nurse said bringing in a bottle and the jarred food.

"She eats the best for Phil." AJ said and looked over to Punk who was texting Colt.

"I'll feed her." He said instantly putting his phone away. "Hungry? I know you're hungry." He said to Brooke as he took a seat with her.

* * *

An hour later Brooke was fed and sleeping in Punk arms comfortably. They were still staying in the hospital due to Brooke getting blood work and the doctors just wanting to be cautious but they were promised they'd be out by morning.

"She looks so relieved. Is that weird?" AJ asked admiring Punk and Brooke.

"No. I'm sure she is." Punk whispered back to her. "She was with a strange guy who couldn't even be bothered to change or feed her."

"Bastard." AJ practically hissed. "I hope he's burning in hell somewhere."

"He will be." Punk added quietly.

"You're the best father." She told him and he looked up at her. "I know we never really got into the formalities of it but you are her father. You are everything that Cal is not. You are the one she wanted to hold her to go to sleep. She wouldn't even stay in my arms. You're her dad in every sense of the word and I want to make that official."

"Ape-" He began.

"I'm not being emotional, well I am emotional and I'll probably be emotional for a really long time but she deserves to have you as her father. No matter where you and I go in life I want you to be her dad and even though she can't talk, she wants you as her dad. She needs you as her dad."

"She's always going to have me." He told her.

"If you don't want to do this I understand-" She began.

"I was just going to say I don't need the paperwork to tell me what I really I know and feel but I'll call the lawyer as long as it's something you're truly ok with." he said to her.

"More than ok." She told him as they continued to whisper. "I'll never regret Cal because he gave me her but if I could pull out a wand and erase his genes from her and put yours I would."

"Cal only ever did one thing right in his life and that was make her." Punk told her as he smiled down at Brooke. "You hear that, kid? I'm your dad."

"She already knows that." AJ said to him as she sat in her chair across the room. "You should get some sleep while she's sleeping."

"YOU should get some sleep while she's sleeping." He challenged. "I'll stay up and play guard."

"I don't think I'm ever going to sleep again." She told him honestly. "I'm never taking my eyes off of her. I'm going to be so anxious going back to work-"

"There's no rush for anything." Punk told her. "I think the three of us need a chill out vacation, at home."

"Yea no more leaving the state." She said shaking her head. "Larry probably misses us like crazy anyway."

"Oh I'm sure." He agreed with half a smile.

"You were really scared today." AJ noted.

"More than anything. I never want to feel that feeling ever again." Punk told her.

"I know what you mean." AJ said to him.

"You were incredibly strong." Punk told her proudly.

"Not as strong as you." She argued.

"Not at all." He shook his head. "Brooke is so lucky to have you as her mother.

"And luckier to have you as her father." She added.

"A father." Punk whispered and smiled proudly.

"A damn good one too." She added.


	15. The Future

**The Future**

* * *

Once Punk, AJ and Brooke were home for Puerto Rico they were on lock down. Both still couldn't shake the fear of almost losing Brooke to Cal. Punk was obsessed with calling Puerto Rico police demanding updates on the search for Cal while AJ was perfectly content just having her daughter back in her arms.

"Does she feel warm?" AJ frowned as Punk walked into his bedroom and saw AJ holding a sleeping Brooke.

"Let's see." He said rubbing his hands together then placed the back of his hand gently on Brooke's head. "A tad, nothing to be worried about."

"I'm always worried now." She said kissing Brooke's head. "My poor girl."

"They have no update on Cal." He told AJ as he got changed.

"Who cares." She huffed. "I never want to hear his name again."

"I care." Punk said putting on a workout shirt on. "I don't want this guy wandering around freely he doesn't deserve that. What if he shows up here?"

"What?" AJ asked frozen. "You think he'd come here?"

"If he made it out of Puerto Rico where else would he go?" Punk asked.

"He wouldn't be so stupid." AJ said looking down at her sleeping daughter.

"He was stupid enough to take her in the first place." He reminded her. "We don't want Cal looming over our head."

"Well, the lawyer called today and after Cal's episode in Puerto Rico the judge yanked all custody agreements and is speeding up finalizing the divorce. We both signed before so it's possible by the end of the month I'll be a single woman." She told him.

"The only two good things." He told her seriously. "Him never getting a chance to see or be around Brooke again and you finally being rid of him."

"Yea, but now I won't be married will that turn you off?" She teased.

"As hard as this is to believe I never slept with a married woman before you." He told her. "I never would do that."

"You did it with me." She pointed out almost smugly.

"You're the exception to the rule." He smirked.

"I want to figure out how to make you her legal guardian." She told him.

"I've looked into that." He said casually.

"Yea?" She asked with a light smile. "Can we do it?"

"Are you sure about this?" He asked.

"Are YOU sure about this?" She challenged.

"Ape, I adore her you know this. I'm ready for the both of you to be in my life forever." He told her. "We've been together a long time now, and I want to do this."

"So let's do it." She stated simply.

"I'll call the lawyer in the morning." he said and she smiled then frowned. "What?" he asked nervous she was about to change her mind.

"Is she going to be Brooke Brooks?" AJ asked scrunching up her nose.

"You want her to have my last name?" Punk asked feeling his heart swell.

"Yea of course. She won't just be your daughter on a piece of paper." AJ told him.

"I'd love that." He said feeling emotional.

"Are you going to cry?" AJ asked smiling and trying not to laugh.

"This is a big deal for me, Ape." He admitted. "I never thought I'd be a father and now I get to be one to the best baby I know."

"She is the best." AJ agreed. "Maybe we'll make it Brooke Mendez-Brooks? Not as weird, right? I don't want people nicknaming her BB or anything."

"You should have thought about her name a little bit more." Punk told her.

"I didn't think that you would be her father." She admitted. "I didn't think you'd be able to stand having us around but I always wanted her to have a piece of you."

"Brooke Brooks doesn't sound THAT bad." He said thinking about it.

"Yea and like I said we'll add the Mendez." She shrugged.

"Look, there's something I want to talk to you about." He began and she gave him her full attention. "I got a call about a fight-"

"You're going to train again?" She asked eagerly. "Is it with UFC?"

"God no." He almost laughed. "A smaller promotion."

"Do it." She told him.

"I appreciate that." He laughed a bit. "But that's spending a lot of time in Milwaukee."

"You have a home in Milwaukee, right?" She asked.

"An apartment." He corrected.

"Well, why don't you just stay there?" She asked.

"You want me to live in Milwaukee while you live in Chicago?" He asked surprised.

"No I meant we'd all go to Milwaukee. Unless that's not good for your training-" She began nervously.

"No I want you both there, I'd need you both there." He told her seriously. "But that's giving up your job at the diner and your stuff here-"

"It's just stuff." She told him. "You've give me and Brooke so much that we want to be there for you in Milwaukee."

"Really?" He asked warily and she nodded happily.

"We're a family. We'll do it together. It's your turn to do what you want and we'll be cheering you on." She assured him.

"I'd really like that." He said relieved.

"Absolutely." She told him without hesitation. "I'm sure there's waitressing jobs out there too and I can focus on my writing a bit more."

"How about you just focus on your writing." He suggested and she frowned. "I know you want to contribute but I'm not comfortable leaving anyone with Brooke who isn't us."

"I get that." She admitted herself. "But I don't want to be the gold digger."

"You gave me a child, I'm going to give you a roof over your head." He told her proudly. "And I'm not saying you can't work I'd never hold you back from anything but you don't have to waitress. You don't have to grab the first paying job you have options. You're with me and I'm going to take care of you."

"I don't need to be taken care of." She reminded him. "I promised after Cal that I'd never depend on a man again."

"I know. And again, do your writing I know a lot of publishers I can introduce you to." He offered. "You're making my dreams come true so I'm going to help you make yours come true."

"You already make my dreams come true." She smiled lightly and he kissed her.

* * *

Later that night Punk was in bed sitting up on his laptop in the dark while Brooke and AJ slept next to him. He would never get tired of the image of AJ and Brooke snoring in bed with Larry at the foot of the bed himself. AJ was a curve ball he wasn't expecting but she turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to him.

"What are you doing?" AJ asked tiredly opening just one eye.

"Looking for bigger places in Milwaukee." He told her quietly so he didn't disturb Brooke.

"You don't have to do that we'll fit in your apartment." She told him seriously waking up more.

"I don't want to just fit. I want to be comfortable I want you and Brooke comfortable." He told her seriously as he eyed the screen. "I mean we'll be there for months maybe a year." He told her.

"I used to live in a closet." She teased a bit.

"You're not though anymore. You're worthy of more. I want more for my family." he told her almost proudly.

"I mean I guess it would be an investment. What if you stayed fighting and we just stayed there? We'd need space."

"Exactly." Punk agreed. "This place is nice." He said clicking on the laptop.

"I would say we're pretty serious." She said to him and he nodded along.

"I would say so." He replied sarcastically.

"Do you want children in the future?" She asked curiously.

"I mean, yea I guess." he said looking at her finally. "Would you want more?"

"If you would have asked me a year ago I'd say no. But I think having a child with the right man changes everything." She told him.

"Am I the right man?" he asked teasingly.

"You're the only man." She laughed quietly.

"Bet your ass I am." he said causing her to laugh more and he shushed her laughing himself. "You're going to wake her."

"You make me laugh." She forced out trying not to laugh.

"I'm glad I amuse you." he remarked.

The doorbell rang and Punk looked at the time, it was only ten at night but this was late for him now. He was a family man now.

"Do you think it's Cal?" AJ whispered.

"Ringing the bell and standing at my door so I could kill him? No." Punk said putting his laptop down and walking out of the room.

* * *

Punk opened the front door and Amy walked right in and he groaned.

"Don't be so dramatic." Amy remarked walking further into his house.

"What are you doing here?" Punk asked closing the door and then following her further inside.

"I see you still have house guests." Amy said eyeing the baby toys that were literally all over the living room floor.

"What are you doing here?" He repeated.

"Checking in on you." Amy shrugged. "Seeing if you came to your senses."

"Senses with what?" Punk questioned.

"That waitress and kid." Amy said to him as AJ listened intently at the top of the stairs out of view.

"She's not a waitress and she's not just some kid." Punk said to her annoyed. "I'm too tired to fight with you right now."

"You got bed at ten now?" Amy asked.

"I do. I have early mornings." Punk shrugged.

"Yea early morning feedings." Amy mocked.

"I don't want you coming around here anymore." He told Amy.

"You didn't mind it a while back." She said to him and AJ felt her heart fall.

"Yea a way while back, you're talking years." He reminded her and AJ felt relief instantly.

"What's years between to two lovers?" She asked him.

"A long time." He answered. "I've moved on and I'm the happiest I've ever been."

"Doing what? Playing daddy and fake fighting?" Amy asked.

"It's not fake." He argued.

"When are you going to give up this fighting fantasy?" Amy asked him. "When are you finally going to realize you're just not made to be a fighter?" AJ glared at the woman down the stairs from where she was hiding.

"I choose to surround myself with people who believe in me." Punk told her calmly.

"I've believed in everything you've done but you know this UFC shit has to stop you're going to get seriously hurt!" She yelled.

"Keep your voice down there's a sleeping baby." He warned her coldly.

"Of course." Amy mocked shaking her head. "Look-"

"Get out of my house and don't come back again." He said opening the front door.

"You're really throwing me out? You have two strangers sleeping upstairs and I'm the enemy?" she asked amused.

"That woman is the love of my life and that baby is my daughter so they're not strangers. You're the unknown in this house and I want you out." He said nodding for her to leave.

"Fuck you." Amy muttered storming past him and out of the house.

Punk began to venture up the stairs and AJ leaped into his arms almost causing him to tumble down them.

"Ape-" he began and she grabbed his face and kissed him.

"You're the love of my life too." She whispered against his lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her up the stairs with ease.

"We can't do this." He said stopping at their bedroom.

"What?" AJ asked not releasing her legs from around him. She had on the saddest face and her lips were swollen from kissing.

"Brooke is sleeping in there." He nodded to Brooke in the bedroom in her crib.

"Right here." She told him.

"What?" he laughed.

"Right out here in the hall." She said kissing his neck.

"I mean..." He began as she slipped her hand into his shorts. "Out here will work." he agreed quickly.

* * *

A week later Punk carried Brooke into an empty house with AJ following behind.

"This is it." Punk told her.

"This isn't a small house." AJ remarked at the more than modest sized home he wanted to purchase in Milwaukee.

"We're going to be spending a lot of time here and fighting is something I'm probably going to do for a very long time to come I want us to be comfortable. This place has a yard unlike Chicago which I think both Brooke and Larry would appreciate it, a four bedrooms, three baths, a huge living room-" he rambled.

"Are you sure? This house can't be cheap." She warned him.

"I know how much it costs but this could be like our family home." He told her. "Maybe we'll have more kids and there's room. It's so close to the gym that I can walk everyday. Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! But it's a house you're looking to buy-" She began.

"I can afford it." He said with a ease. "I want my family to be comfortable and at home."

"We'd be comfortable and at home anywhere you were." She reminded him. "Isn't that right?" She asked leaning over and poking Brooke's cheek making her laugh.

"This feels right." He said nodding as he eyed the empty house. "This house is going give us a lot of memories. It's a fresh start for all of us."

"A fresh start?" She asked.

"Cal is out of the picture we're going to be able to really start and build a life together with Brooke with him gone." He told her. "No more shitty diner jobs, no more of me hiding from what I love to do, no more fear of Brooke having to see Cal. We can have it all."

"That does sound appealing." She had to admit with a smile.

"This feels right." He repeated again. "You like it?" He asked Brooke who was holding her pacifier in her mouth. "You're going to have a huge princess room."

"She's not sleeping in there alone though, right?" AJ asked nervously.

"Not a chance." Punk scoffed. "She can stay in our room forever."

"You're not really pushing this because you're afraid of Cal showing up, are you?" She questioned.

"I have to admit the fear of a deranged child abductor does scare me a bit." Punk admitted. "He doesn't know we'd be living here."

"He's gone." AJ assured him. "He's not taking your little girl from you."

"I know." He said still not convinced. "But I want to live in a safe house with my girls, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." She said giving him the peace of mind he was looking for. "We're going to love it here."

"This is a great school district too." He told her and she smiled.

"I hope you're not already sending her off to school." AJ warned.

"No! But in the future." He told her.

"I love that you talk about the future." She said to him. "I've never looked forward to the future before and now I dream about it."

"Me too." He admitted. "I love this house. Wait until you see upstairs, wait until you see the view of the park we're across the street from."

"I think we're going to really like it here." AJ told him.

"I know we are." He said confidently.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Onto the next plot!**


	16. Back At It

**Back At It**

* * *

 _ **Ten years later...**_

"You're going to be late!" AJ yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Whatever!" Brooke yelled back down and AJ looked at Punk who just shrugged.

"She's at that age." Punk defended. Punk always defended Brooke's rough attitude.

"No, she gets to that age in a few years when she's a teenager, she's only ten." AJ reminded him as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"You're going to be late too, Mac!" AJ yelled up from the house in Wisconsin they were still living in.

"I'm here!" Five year old Mackenzie announced with a huge smile entering the kitchen dramatically.

"I see that." AJ smirked. "Eat your breakfast." she said kissing the top of her dark black hair.

"Oatmeal." Mac pouted.

"It's healthy." Punk told his five year old daughter.

"I like when you make breakfast." Mac said jumping into his lap and sitting with him.

"Your dad doesn't make breakfast." AJ scoffed.

"He makes donuts." Mac reminded her mother.

"That's not cooking that's bringing home junk from the bakery." She told Mac.

"She's right." Punk told his daughter and she glared at him. "She is!" he laughed at her reaction grabbing her oatmeal and sliding it over so she could eat it.

"Brooke!" AJ yelled out.

"I'm here!" Brooke yelled back walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning." Punk greeted.

"Hi." Brooke greeted quietly and sat at the table.

"You ok?" AJ asked her daughter.

"Yup." She said with a forced smile.

"Something on your mind, kiddo?" Punk asked.

"Actually yes." Brooke said to him.

"Lay it on me." Punk encouraged. "What's bothering you?"

"My hair." She told him and Punk wasn't sure how to respond and looked to AJ.

"You just got it cut last week, you don't like it?" AJ frowned running her hand through her daughters blonde hair.

"It's not that." Brooke said shaking her head. "I know my hair is awesome." She remarked smugly.

"It is." Punk agreed. "You like it, right, Mac?"

"Uh-huh!" Mac grinned nodding. She idolized her sister. "I want hair just like Brookey." she told Punk.

"Maybe when you're older." Punk told her.

"It's just..." Brooke trailed off and then stopped.

"What is it?" AJ asked.

"Why is my hair blonde?" Brooke asked curiously. "Why do you, dad and Mac have black hair but I have blonde?"  
Punk and AJ never did tell Brooke about Cal. But Brooke did take after Cal's family. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes, Mac had dark long hair and brown eyes. Most people didn't people they were even sisters. The only telling sign was that both girls had AJ's big smile and snort laugh.

"Because we're all different." AJ told her and Punk frowned.

"I think you're pretty." Mac grinned eating her oatmeal.

"I agree." Punk told her.

"But why am I different?" Brooke asked.

"What bought on this question?" AJ asked her daughter.

"We're doing the family tree." Brooke reminded AJ and she nodded. "And Cindy looks like her mommy and daddy. And Brandon looks like his mommy and daddy and I don't look like you or daddy."

"You do though." Punk told her and Brooke looked at him confused. "That smile? It's all your mom."

"Really?" Brooke asked and Punk nodded.

"And it looks like you'll have your moms height." He added teasingly.

"I hate being short." Brooke groaned.

"Short people like me are rare and wonderful." AJ defended with a laugh.

"What do I have of yours?" Brooke asked her father next and Punk wasn't sure how to answer.

"You have your father's heart." AJ informed her daughter proudly and she lit up.

"Really? That's so cool." Brooke grinned.

"Hurry up and eat or you're both going to be late." AJ warned her daughters. "You too." She warned her now husband.

"I think I'll walk to school today." Brooke told her parents and Mac smiled brightly.

"Me too!" Mac cheered.

"Since when do we let you walk to school alone?" Punk asked curiously.

"Since now?" Brooke questioned hopefully.

"Since never." AJ said to her amused. "You're still a little too young."

"What about me?" Mac asked them.

"You're littler than me." Brooke remarked with a roll of her eyes.

"You got your eye roll from your mother." Punk chimed in.

"Cool." Brooke smiled as she ate her breakfast quickly.

"Wash up before you leave." AJ told them and Mac jumped down.

"Help me, Brookey." Mac smiled as Brooke stood up.

"Yea, yea." Brooke groaned following after Mac.

"I wonder why she was asking those questions." Punk said helping AJ clear the table.

"She's just curious." AJ shrugged.

"Do you think we should talk to her about it?" Punk asked.

"We agreed when she was older she's only 10." AJ argued.

"I don't like it either." Punk told her. "But she's getting older and asking more questions."

"Just a question about her hair." AJ whispered. "She's too young to really grasp it all."

"I feel like I'm lying to her." Punk countered back quietly.

"You're not- we're not." She told him. "We're protecting her. A ten year old won't be able to grasp Cal."

"I guess." Punk had to agree. "I don't want her to think I'm not her father."

"You are her father." AJ told him. "She loves you more than anything, even more than me."

"That's true." Punk agreed seriously and AJ pinched him.

"By the way, the girls are going to your mothers this weekend." She informed him.

"Oh yea?" Punk asked. "No one told me that. Why?" he asked and she glared at him. "I'm kidding!" he said kissing her cheek. "Seven year anniversary."

"Seven years down, a lifetime to go." She told him wrapping her arms around him.

"You ever regret eloping in Vegas?" he asked her.

"Never. It was perfect. Me, you, Brooke- that was perfect." She told him.

"Mac needs you to help her with her shoes." Brooke announced walking into the kitchen.

"Got it." Punk told her and walked off.

"Here are the baby pictures you asked for for school." AJ said passing Brooke a small stack of photos.

"Oh, cool." Brooke smiled looking at the pictures oddly.

"What's wrong?" AJ asked her curiously.

"That's really me?" Brooke asked showing AJ the picture of her and Punk holding Brooke in the hospital the night she was born.

"Really is." AJ smirked. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." Brooke said putting the photos into her book bag.

"Is there something more you want to ask me?" AJ asked her daughter who looked up at her.

"No." Brooke told her with a ease. "I just don't know why I don't look like anybody."

"Everybody is different." AJ reminded her. "You're unique in this family, you should be proud."

"I guess." Brooke said putting on a smile and left.

* * *

Later that night AJ was sitting up in bed when Punk walked in.

"Girls asleep?" She asked.

"Brooke read Mac her nightly story tonight." Punk smirked. "Both are out like lights."

"I got a call from the school. Brooke's teacher wants to see us." AJ told him.

"When?" Punk asked.

"Tomorrow during lunch that's noon." She told him.

"I'll be there." He assured her. "She say about what?"

"No." AJ said to him. "But she is off, you're right."

"I'm hoping it's just a curious age." Punk said to her. "She's my daughter- just as much as Mac is- DNA or not I don't want her to look at me differently."

"She never could." AJ huffed. "You're her hero. She could never change her opinion of you."

"She can when she finds out that I'm not her biological father." Punk remarked.

"Biology is nothing." AJ said waving it off. "Biology means nothing between you and your mom."

"Yea but I was older and understood more." Punk reasoned.

"That's why we wait until she's older." AJ told her as he got into the bed.

"Hi." Brooke greeted walking into her parents bedroom.

"Didn't I just put you to bed?" Punk asked her and she nodded.

"You did but I remembered I had a question." She told them.

"Anything." AJ urged. "We are here to answer all of your questions about anything." She said and Punk eyed AJ.

"Are you CM Punk?" Brooked asked Punk and he was stunned.

"Why would ask that?" AJ asked curiously.

"He looks like CM Punk." Brooke said to her mom pointing at Punk.

"Yea, um..." Punk trailed off. "That was a name I worked with."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Brooke asked tilting her head.

"You know what your dad does for a living." AJ explained to her. "He works at a gym and sometimes is on TV."

"Yea but he's CM Punk." Brooke told her mother.

"That's like playing a character on TV, you know?" He asked his daughter.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Brooke asked.

"I was going to." Punk fumbled over his words nervously. He felt like he was under the spotlight and this wasn't even a legitimate lie like her paternity.

"But that's not really important. Your dad plays someone on TV but he's just your dad." AJ added.

"Oh." Brooke said suspiciously.

"Did someone at school say something?" AJ asked her daughter.

"No." Brooke shrugged. "I was just wondering."

"Brooke, is there something you want to ask me?" Punk asked her and she eyed him for a moment.

"No." She said to them. "I'm going back to bed."

"This is weird." He told AJ as Brooke left.

"Something is going on." AJ agreed. "Maybe one of her classmates recognized you or something."

"It's not that. It's like she's trying to prove ways that I've lied to her." Punk told her. "I don't lie to her-"

"I know you don't." AJ said to him.

"Maybe we should talk to her about Cal." Punk said to her. "I don't want her to hate me."

"She couldn't hate you even if she tried." AJ told him. "Something must be happening at school."

"We need to get to the bottom of it than." He said simply. "What if someone is teasing her about me?"

"I doubt it." AJ said shaking her head. "We'll find out tomorrow."

* * *

The next day Punk and AJ sat in Brooke's class while the kids were at lunch.

"So, what is this all about?" AJ asked Brooke's teacher.

"Brooke is a bright young lady." The teacher noted before she began.

"We know." Punk responded and AJ elbowed him. "What?"

"He has every right to be proud of her." The teacher told her with a smile. "I am concerned about her lateness, absences-"

"Lateness and absence?" AJ questioned.

"I drop Brooke and Mac off everyday the same time. Brooke hasn't missed a day this year. " Punk told her.

"Brooke has missed seven days in the last months and has been late almost every single day." She said showing them her attendance record. "We noticed Mac hasn't missed any-"

"Neither has Brooke." AJ told her. "You made a mistake."

"I assure you, Mrs. Brooks I haven't." The teacher noted and passed them notes. "These were notes she handed from you."

"This is not my hand writing." AJ said looking at the stack of notes. "Phil?" She asked and he took the noted to eye them.

"Clearly an adult is writing these because no fifth grader can write like this." Punk said looking at the teacher. "I watch her walk into this building every day."

"She must be slipping out." The teacher said.

"Did you ask her about these?" AJ asked the teacher.

"No because we thought they were genuine notes." The teacher insisted.

"This is crazy." AJ said shaking her head.

"I'll have Brooke called in, we can talk to her together." The teacher said standing up.

"Who is she spending all of this time with?" AJ asked Punk.

"I don't know." Punk said as he read each note carefully. "She walks in everyday holding Mac's hand."

"She's hanging out with some strange adult, who?" She asked.

"We're going to have to ask her." AJ said to him. "How did we not know?"

"The school didn't contact us at all." Punk remarked. "How long has this been going on?"

"A few weeks now." The teacher told them walking back over.

"This can't be right." Punk said shaking his head. "She's only ten she's too young to be skipping classes."

"Is there anyone in her class missing the same days and times?" AJ questioned. "Maybe her and a friend?"

"No." The teacher told them.

"Hello." Brooke greeted walking into the class and seeing her parents and she knew she was in trouble.

"Brooke." AJ greeted eyeing her daughter.

"What's going on?" Brooke asked innocently.

"Your teacher was just showing us all of your notes." Punk said holding them up. "Brooke, where have you been these days?"

"Just hanging out." Brooke shrugged.

"You're ten years old." AJ reminded her sternly. "You can't just hang out. Who have you been with?"

"No one." Brooke said shaking her head.

"Really? Because these notes were written by an adult and I want to know who wrote these." AJ told her.

"Is he going to get in trouble?" Brooke asked and Punk felt his heart drop. She was hanging out with some grown man.

"Brooke, we're not asking you to tell us we're demanding it." Punk ordered her in a stern voice. "Who have you been spending time with while you should have been in school?"

"Some guy." Brooke told them.

"Some guy?" Punk asked mockingly. "Who are you spending time with?"

"He said he's my dad." Brooke shrugged.

"What?" Punk and AJ asked at the same time.

"He said you stole me." Brooke told them and the teacher grew uncomfortable.

"No one stole you." AJ told Brooke. "What does this man look like?" She asked and Brooke didn't say anything.

"Should I call the police?" The teacher asked Punk.

"Yes." Punk told her.

"No!" Brooke cried. "Hes really nice to me and he's my dad."

"No, I'm your dad." Punk corrected.

"He said you're a liar." Brooke told him. "And you." She said to AJ.

"Please, call the police." AJ insisted to the teacher who nodded and stood up.

"He said not to tell anyone." Brooke cried.

"Because he's a bad man." AJ said to her. "Are you making things up because of this family tree project you're doing in class?"

"There's no family tree project." The teacher told them.

"I want the whole story." Punk said to Brooke. "From the beginning."

* * *

 **A/N: explaining it all to Brooke...**


	17. Q&A

**Q &A**

* * *

"He said he was my dad." Brooke explained to her parents as she sat on the couch in their house. "And you're not my dad. That you stole me."

"And you believed him?" AJ asked her.

"He said my hair was different like his. That I looked like him." Brooke told them.

"Where did he find you?" Punk asked her.

"Outside school. He does the garbage." She told them.

"Garbage man?" Punk asked and she nodded.

"That man-" AJ began.

"Is he my dad?" Brooke asked tilting her head.

"No. Your dad is your dad." AJ told her sternly. "That man-"

"He said you were bad people." Brooke told them.

"And you believe that?" Punk asked.

"You lied to me about being CM Punk." Brooke pointed out.

"I didn't lie about that." Punk shook his head. "I just didn't explain it yet."

"He said you can't love me because I'm not yours." Brooke told him.

"Baby, I have loved you since the day you were born." He insisted to Brooke eyed him skeptically. "I am your father."

"You didn't make me." Brooke argued.

"I didn't." Punk admitted and AJ sighed.

"That man you were spending time with, he was married to me a long time ago, long before I knew your dad." AJ told Brooke.

"So you're not Mac's daddy either?" Brooke asked Punk.

"No, he is." AJ told her. "That man helped make you but he wasn't very nice."

"What do you mean?" Brooke asked.

"He was really mean to me. He used to make me feel really, really bad and he didn't want me to have you." AJ told her and she frowned.

"No one wanted me?" Brooke asked quietly with a sniffle.

"Your dad did." AJ told her and Brooke looked at Punk. "I did too. But your dad was your number supporter always. He took me in to live with him and he didn't even know me. He made sure you were always healthy when I was pregnant, he went every appointment and he held you the day you were born."

"But he's not my dad." Brooke said sadly feeling her lip tremble.

"I'm always going to be your dad." Punk told her. "Its not about science or biology. What else did he tell you?"

"He said your name was CM Punk and you stole me and scared him away." Brooke told him.

"That's not true." Punk said shaking his head. "We let him get to know you." He told Brooke.

"It's true." AJ agreed. "And you're a little too young to fully understand it all but he had an opportunity to get to know you and he didn't do a good job."

"If I thought he was a good person he would be in your life." Punk told her. "I'm all about protecting you, Brooke."

"That's why you're Brooke Brooks." AJ told Brooke. "You were named after you father- your REAL father."

"He said you love Mac more than me because I'm his and look like him." Brooke told Punk sadly.

"Not true." Punk said without hesitation. "You both are my child the exact same."

"I'm not yours." Brooke told him sadly.

"You're ALWAYS going to be mine." He told her. "I didn't even know how to love selflessly before I met you and held you in my arms. You are the best surprise to happen to me in my entire life."

"Really?" Brooke asked.

"You know Grandma isn't my biological mother either." He informed her and her mouth dropped in shock.

"No way!" Brooke gasped.

"Yes way." Punk smirked. "And I love her so much and she loves you so much."

"I do love Grandma." Brooke agreed.

"Do you love me?" Punk asked.

"Yes that's why I was so sad." Brooke told him sadly.

"I love you to the moon and back you know that and that's what makes you my daughter." He told her. "Not the hair or the eyes."

"He's right." AJ nodded.

"I love you daddy." Brooke said hugging him.

"I love you too." He said squeezing her back.

"I love you both!" Mac yelled running in and jumping in our their hug.

"Mac, I thought I told you to take your snack upstairs and eat." AJ said eyeing her daughter.

"But Brookey looks ready to cry so I had to be here if she's in trouble." Mac told her mother.

"No one is in trouble." AJ told her.

"Then can I stay?" Mac asked hopefully.

"We have a lot more to talk about." AJ told her and Mac sighed.

"I'll tell you what, we'll go for pizza for dinner." Punk told Mac and her face lit up. "Just give us a few more minutes with your sister."

"Ok!" Mac grinned then ran up the stairs.

"Does my other dad have to go to jail?" Brooke asked AJ and Punk.

"Hes not your dad." AJ stressed.

"Ape." Punk warned.

"He's not." AJ said simply. "Everything that man does is to hurt someone."

"Then he's no good." Brooke told her and AJ nodded.

"And yes he does because he was supposed to go to jail a long time ago and he's been hiding." AJ told her.

"What did he do?" Brooke questioned and AJ looked at Punk. "Did he kill someone?"

"No." Punk answered.

"What he did isn't important. And he knew seeing you would lead him to getting caught." She told her daughter.

"Did he do anything to you?" Punk asked nervously.

"No." Brooke shook her head.

"You really need to think about this Brooke." AJ insisted. "Did he touch you or hurt you in anyway?"

"Nope." Brooke stated honestly.

"What would you two do?" Punk asked her.

"We would go to the park and talk and he'd let me feed the ducks." She told them.

"And he just told you that he was your dad and you believed him?" Punk asked skeptically.

"No. He told me he knew mommy and he did know her! He showed me old pictures of her and him so I thought he was her friend and I could talk to him." She told them. "Then he told me."

"What else did he say to you?" Punk asked his daughter.

"Nothing." She shrugged. "He'd tell me how you stole me and he never got the chance to know me."

"He had his chance." Punk reminded her.

"Does this change us?" Brooke asked her parents.

"Changes nothing." AJ told her. "And we always planned on telling you."

"So why didn't you?" Brooke asked her mother curiously.

"Because we agreed you were still too young." Punk told her.

"I'm very smart." Brooke reminded them smugly.

"You are." Punk smirked. "Why is why I know you're smart enough to know this doesn't change a thing in our family."

"I know." She assured him.

"I really wish you could have talked to me about it." Punk told her. "Instead of running off with a stranger which you are too smart to know not to do."

"He was really nice." Brooke told them.

"Cal?" AJ snorted under her breath.

"Is he in big trouble?" Brooke asked.

"That's not for you to worry about." AJ told her.

"Do I have to get to know him?" Brooke asked them.

"No." Punk and AJ said at the same time.

"And I imagine you won't even get the chance. He's going to be going away." She told Brooke. "He knew approaching you was wrong, he knew taking you out of school was wrong and forging my name on notes was also wrong. Grown ups should know better."

"Do you have another questions?" Punk asked Brooke.

"I do." Brooke announced.

"Great, we can answer anything." AJ urged.

"Where do babies come from?" She asked.

"What?" AJ asked stunned.

"We meant questions pertaining to this." Punk forced out with a nervous laugh.

"This is about that. You said that guy helped make me, how did he help make me?" Broke questioned.

"Your father has the answer for you." AJ smiled at Brooke then looked at Punk.

"Um, when you're married you do things that a husband and wife do to make a baby and when you're twenty one we'll explain what that is." Punk told her proudly and Brooke seemed confused.

"Is that how you made Mac?" Brooke asked. "You two got married?"

"Exactly." Punk told her happily.

"I'm hungry and I'm not waiting another minute." Mac huffed stomping down the stairs.

"We were just going to get you." AJ smiled holding her arms out and Mac ran into them.

"No you weren't you were going to forget me again." Mac sighed.

"When have we ever forgotten you?" Punk asked amused.

"This one time in my dream. You and Brookey and mommy went for ice cream and forgot me at home!" Mac explained.

"That wasn't a dream we did that last night." Brooke teased and Mac's eyes widened in horror.

"She's teasing you." AJ said kissing Mac's cheek.

"Meanie." Mac scolded at her sister shaking her finger.

"Go get your jackets." Punk told his daughters and they scurried off.

"You think we did ok?" AJ asked him.

"I think so." Punk said to her. "I feel good it's all out in the open actually. You think she really understood it?"

"As much as ten year old can." AJ sighed. "But hey, she's still your little girl."

"I'm going to fucking kill him." Punk warned her. "To tell her I love Mac more? That's bullshit."

"I know that. He was trying to create a wedge." AJ told him. "Let's go take our girls for pizza."

* * *

Brooke was in her room finishing her homework when she heard her door crack open.

"You know the rules." Brooke said without even looking up.

"My hands have no paint." Mac promised with a smile holding her hands up and Brooke looked up and nodded for her little sister to come in. "Want to play?"

"I can't I'm doing homework." Brooke said and Mac frowned.

"I'm bored." Mac sighed.

"Well I have a lot going on." Brooke informed her little sister seriously.

"Can I help you?" Mac asked eagerly.

"No." Brooke said closing her book. "I think someone is going to take me away."

"What!" Mac cried out.

"Shh." Brooke hissed. "I have a different daddy and he said we were going to go away that I can't stay here and now I'm afraid he's going to take me!"

"No! Don't go!" Mac cried throwing her arms around her big sister who was her whole world.

"I don't want to." Brooke said hugging her back.

"Daddy is your daddy and he won't let another daddy take you." Mac promised her.

"Daddy can't stop him." Brooke told her and as she wept.

"What is going on?" AJ asked.

"Don't let that man take Brooke!" Mac cried out holding out Brooke tightly. "I'll go with you!" she told Brooke.

"What is she talking about?" AJ asked walking over to them. "Why are you both crying?"

"Brooke's daddy is going to take her away from this daddy." Mac cried not letting go of Brooke.

"Brooke I thought we talked about this? No one is taking you away." AJ promised.

"You don't know that." Brooke said holding Mac.

"Go get daddy." Mac cried.

"Hes at the gym." AJ told them.

"Tell that man he can't have Brookey!" Mac cried.

"I thought we talked about all of this?" AJ asked Brooke hugging both her girls because she wasn't sure what to do. "And no one is taking Brooke anywhere."

"Do you promise?" Mac asked AJ crying.

"Yes." AJ said kissing the top of her head. "Can I talk to Brooke?"

"No." Mac huffed holding her sister. "I'm never leaving Brookey ever. If she goes I go."

"I really want to talk to your sister." AJ said to Mac.

"Never." Mac said sternly.

"You know how she is." Brooke shrugged.

* * *

Later that night Brooke was laying awake in bed with Mac sleeping next to her. She meant it when she said she was never leaving Brooke. Brooke looked over nervously when her door creaked open. She stuck her head up and saw Punk stick his head in and quietly waved her out. Brooke sighed and carefully got out of bed so she didn't went Mac.

"Hi." Brooke greeted.

"Hi." Punk greeted back and nodded for her to follow him downstairs.

"I was going to go to sleep." Brooke said following him.

"Seems like you were wide awake and there's no school tomorrow so your mom can't get mad." Punk smirked opening the freezer.

"Sundaes?!" She asked anxiously.

"That's right." Punk smirked taking all the fixings out. "I wanted to talk to you about what you said to Mac."

"I didn't mean to upset her." Brooke insisted.

"I know." Punk said quietly. "It upset me though."

"Why?" She asked.

"Why didn't you tell me he said he was going to take you away?" Punk asked her curiously as he scooped ice cream into a bowl.

"I forgot." Brooke shrugged.

"I have to know if someone threatens you, Brooke." Punk said to her as he added the whipped cream and sprinkles on top.

"What's a threat?" Brooke questioned.

"Someone who says they're going to do something wrong to you." Punk told her. "Because saying he was going to take you away from me and your mother was very wrong and we should have told the police when we saw them."

"I didn't know it was that bad." Brooke admitted.

"It was very bad." Punk confirmed. "When you're feeling scared you know you can come to me."

"I know. I really just forgot." Brooke told him.

"I remember the day you were born." Punk smiled thinking about it.

"What was it like?" Brooke asked.

"Amazing. You came out and your mom told the doctor to let me hold you and I felt an instant connection." Punk said to him. "I promised you that day that I would never let anybody hurt you and I meant it. No matter how old you were you'd always have me to protect you."

"I know, daddy." Brooke smiled a bit as Punk passed her the ice cream.

"Tomorrow we're going to have to talk to the police about what that guy said to you." Punk told her.

"Do we have to?" Brooke asked sadly.

"We do." He confirmed. "In the meantime do you have any questions for me? Did you maybe remember something you wanted to ask?"

"Not really." Brooke said to him.

"Don't be afraid to ask or tell me anything. I won't be mad." He assured her.

"You really don't love Mac more than me?" Brooke asked curiously and he frowned.

"I love you both the same. You're both my daughter. I'd give my life for yours." He told her honestly. "I was the one changing your diapers in the middle of the night and feeding you and teaching you how to walk and talk, not that guy from the park. The same I did for Mac I did for you."

"Really?" Brooke asked and Punk nodded.

"There's photos all over to prove it." He smirked. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. But we didn't want this to weigh on you."

"It's ok." Brooke shrugged.

"It's not." He disagreed. "I should have been honest but I still felt you were too young but you're clearly a very mature young lady."

"Really?" Brooke asked with a smile and Punk nodded. "Mature enough to wear makeup?"

"Not that mature." Punk added quickly and Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Mature enough to go to the mall with my friends?" Brooke asked and Punk eyed her.

"Mature enough to stay up passed nine on weekends." Punk informed sternly.

"I'll take it!" Brooke cheered.

"Mature enough to sneak downstairs for ice cream at almost ten clearly." AJ said walking into the kitchen.

"Daddy made me." Brooke said pointing at Punk.

"We were hungry." Punk shrugged.

"You make me one?" She asked sweetly.

"I think we're out of ice cream but I will gladly share my ice cream with you." Punk smiled holding up the spoon and AJ took a bite off of it.

"Eww." Brooke said scrunching her nose.

"That's right, sharing food is gross you can only share with your spouse." Punk informed her and AJ laughed.

"Hey." Mac frowned. "I woke up and everyone was gone! I thought Brookey's new daddy took all of you!" she sniffled.

"Brooke doesn't have a new daddy." Punk said picking up his youngest daughter and kissing her cheek and placing her on the counter island.

"Good. You'll make sure no one takes her away from me?" Mac asked.

"No one is taking anyone anywhere." Punk promised her and she smiled.

"I knew daddy would fix it." Mac told AJ.

"Yea, yea." AJ said picking Mac up. "Say goodnight it's way passed your bedtime."

"Nighty!" Mac waved to her sister and father. "I'm still sleeping Brookey's room." She informed her mother sternly.

"Why do you even have your own room?" AJ asked carrying her up the stairs.

* * *

Later that night Punk and AJ were sleeping when Punk felt someone poke his arm.

"Hi, daddy." Brooke smiled and Punk's eyes opened wide.

"Yea, baby." Punk greeted quietly running his hand over his face.

"You said if I had a question I could ask it and I have a question." She whispered and he was alert now. He wanted Brooke to open up to him, he wanted her to still be comfortable enough with him to ask as many questions as she wanted.

"Yea, ok." Punk said eagerly getting out of the bed and following Brooke into the hallway. "Any question you have, I have the answer." he assured her kneeling down.

"Is it wrong that I feel bad?" She asked him.

"Feel bad?" He asked curiously. "Feel bad about what?"

"That he's sort of my dad, not really, but without him I wouldn't be here, right?" Brooke asked.

"Yea." Punk told her honestly.

"So I feel bad the police are going to take him away." Brooke admitted sadly.

"That's a grownup matter." Punk told her.

"But is it wrong I feel a little sad?" She asked and Punk gave her a light smile.

"No, no it's not." He assured her. "It proves you're an amazing generous little girl."

"I don't want him to go away to jail. I don't want him here but I don't want him in jail either." Brooke told him honestly.

"That's not up to me or you." Punk told her. "He's not in trouble just for talking to you he's in trouble for something he did a long time ago that you have no control over."

"Oh." Brooke said thinking about it. "Did he hate me?"

"Hate you? No. No one could hate you." Punk promised her.

"But then why didn't he want me?" Brooke asked him. "Was I a bad baby?"

"You were the best baby ever." Punk practically laughed. "Seriously you napped, you ate, you slept through the night most nights you were and still are perfect."

"So why did he hate me?" She asked again.

"He didn't hate you." Punk assured her. "He just wasn't mature enough to have a baby. He didn't realize it was such hard work. He wasn't ready for that."

"But you were?" She asked.

"No, not really." Punk laughed a bit. "But I made myself ready. You taught me everything."

"How? I was just a baby!" She giggled.

"You were but babies call the shots." Punk teased. "He just wasn't sure how to care for you and your mother and I were."

"Oh, ok." Brooke smiled and hugged him. "I love you."

"I love you too. Get some sleep." He said to her and she walked back into her arm.

"I have your father of the year award." AJ grinned from the doorway.

"I don't know about all of that." Punk smirked.

"Sometimes I forget she's a curious ten year old girl when she brings up Cal." AJ admitted as they went back into their bedroom. "I get so angry and you handled that so well. I don't know what I would have said."

"You would have if she asked you." Punk said to her.

"But she didn't." AJ noted.

"Hey, I need her to feel comfortable enough to come to me. I need her to know I'm here no matter the day or time." He told her.

"Maybe I sounded too bitter when it came to Cal." AJ said to him. "I want her to talk to me too."

"She will. You're her mom she's going to come to you for stuff about makeup and hair and boys and all the big stuff." He assured her as they got back into bed.

"She's going to be upset if he gets arrested." AJ noted.

"If? When." Punk told her firmly. "He was going to take her again. He's not getting away with it again."

"I still think about that day he took her." AJ cringed. "Worst day of my entire life."

"I still have nightmares." Punk agreed.

"He just dumped her. She was barely keeping her head up and he didn't feed her or take care of her." AJ remembered. "Then left her in the rain out the emergency room. She could have died."

"He's going to prison for it." Punk assured her. "He won't get away with it again."

"Showing up after all of these years trying to turn our daughter against us and he never even wanted her." AJ spat. "Bastard."

"Don't get all worked up because I'm trying not to get all worked up and if you get worked up it will work me up." He warned her.

"Phil, that night-" She began.

"Waking up to an empty crib? Terrifying. He has some set to show up and even look at her let alone write her out of her school. And like I said the police are going to find him and he's going to pay for it and he'll never get near Brooke again." Punk assured her.

"It just drives me crazy. The man nearly killed me when I told him I wanted to keep her, hit me across the face, pushed me around- and NOW he shows up to talk to her. And you know it's not because he wants to know her, he wants to hurt me and you." She told him.

"Babe, please." He pleaded wrapping his arms around her. "He's going to be out of our lives for good soon."

"I know, I just don't want him to hurt her again." AJ said as a tear escaped her eye.

"He won't." He promised.

Outside their bedroom, which the door was open, stood Brooke who had tears streaming down her face. Instead of going back to her bedroom she ran down the stairs and grabbed her jacket and shoes...


	18. Into The Woods

**Into The Woods**

* * *

Brooke knew exactly where to go. She knew where Cal lived but she didn't tell the police, part of her wanted to protect her and her dad said feeling sympathy towards Cal was a good thing. It was a short walk through the park to find the cabin like home Cal lived in. She knocked on the door and a man she didn't recognize opened the door.

"You lost little girl?" The man laughed.

"I'm looking for him." Brooke said pointing into the cabin that had a few people in it.

"Fuck." Cal groaned. "You bring the whole police force with you?"

"No." Brooke said folding her arms.

"You want to come in?" The man asked.

"Fuck off, that's my kid." Cal warned the man and followed Brooke away from the cabin. "You ratted me out."

"I got in trouble at school. I missed too much and my teacher called my mom and dad." Brooke told him honestly.

"I had a feeling we took advantage of that. How did you get here?" He asked with an annoyed sighed.

"I walked." Brooke told him and he glared at her.

"I know Apey didn't raise a dumb kid." Cal said shaking his head. "So you should know better than to walk here at this time of night. If I wasn't in there you could have gotten in trouble so just go home."

"No!" Brooke yelled and Cal cringed and looked away to make sure no one heard her. "I want to know why you lied to me."

"Lied to you? Is that punk telling stories again?" Cal asked.

"I heard my mom and dad talking and you didn't want me." Brooke informed him angrily. "You stole me when I was a baby and you could have hurt me."

"Yea." Cal told her honestly as he sat down on the large rock and ran his hand through his hair. "I was a shitty guy, kid." He told her. "I'm going to be honest with you because I don't have much time until the police eventually track me down."

"Why did you hate me?" She asked him sadly. "I'm a good girl. I do really good in school, and I play flag football and I sing really pretty."

"I'm sure you do." Cal chuckled a bit. "I hated you because I didn't know you and at the time I didn't want to know you. You were the reason your mom left me, or so I thought but your mom is a smart lady. I wasn't too nice to her."

"She said you hit her." Brooke informed him and he nodded.

"That's true." Cal nodded. "Like I said I wasn't too nice to her and your dad was. That was why I lost her. She wanted you so much and I wouldn't hear her out."

"Were you going to hurt me?" Brooke asked.

"No." Cal smirked. "But I understand why your parents thought that. I saw you by chance and I saw those eyes and those are the exact eyes my mother had and when you said your name was Brooke I knew you were my kid. I wanted to just say hi because I knew getting to know you would get me caught and it did."

"You said my dad was a bad guy." Brooke said to him. "I love him very much he's nice to me."

"I'm sure he is." Cal agreed. "I don't think he's a bad guy I just wish he wasn't such a good guy that you and your mother fell for him."

"It makes me feel bad that you didn't want me." Brooke told him honestly.

"It shouldn't because I was an idiot- still am." Cal said to her. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore." He said running his hand over his face.

"My mom and dad said you have to go to jail." She told him.

"I made so many mistakes." Cal told her as if she was an adult he was confiding in. "I loved your mother more than anything on this world. I never stopped dreaming of her coming back to me."

"What about me?" Brooke asked.

"One of my mistakes wasn't trying with you like I should have." He told her and she frowned. "Your parents did try but I wasn't very good at being a father, I'm still not. I took you out of school, told you things I probably shouldn't have, pissed of your mom even more."

"She's really angry at you." Brooke told him seriously.

"I bet." Cal grinned a bit. "Your mom loves you a whole lot though." He told her honestly. "She was a natural with you and so was your dad. You didn't click with me and I used to think it was because Punk had the fame and money but you didn't know who he was. You didn't realize you were living in a penthouse and being taken care of by one of the most famous athletes in the world. They were just better with you than I was. I'm sorry I upset you."

"My dad didn't say bad things about you." Brooke told him.

"It's so annoying how good of a guy he is." Cal laughed bitterly. "You lucked out with him. That guy is your father."

"So what are you to me?" Brooke asked. "You can both be my dad."

"No we can't." Cal said shaking his head. "You deserve a good guy to raise you and that ain't me. You have your parents and your sister you're going to be alright."

"But I kind of liked spending time with you." Brooke confided. "Dad is my dad but you helped make me."

"Clearly the only good thing I did in my life was you." Cal told her.

"You got that right." A voice greeted and Cal groaned knowing who was standing behind him.

"Punk." Cal greeted calmly.

"How did you find me?" Brooke asked him.

"I heard you run out of the house. The neighbor saw you run in the direction of the park." Punk said kneeling in front of her. "Brooke-"

"I'm sorry!" She cried throwing her arms around him and he hugged her back but glared at Cal while doing so.

"I asked her to come here." Cal told Punk.

"No he didn't. I heard you and mommy talking and I had to see him." Brooke said pulling away.

"She's a good kid." Cal told Punk.

"I'm well aware, I've been raising her for ten years." Punk shot at him also calmly.

"Don't ground her for too long." Cal told Punk.

"Daddy has never grounded me." Brooke told him almost smugly. "And when mommy grounds me he sneaks me out."

"Of course he does." Cal forced out standing up.

"Brooke you can't just take off." Punk told her eyeing Cal but talking to Brooke.

"I know but I had to see him for myself." She told him.

"If you knew where he was then why didn't you tell us?" He asked.

"I told you I'd feel bad if he went to jail." Brooke reminded him.

"I know but this was dangerous." Punk reminded Brooke.

"I wasn't going to hurt her." Cal scoffed.

"Yea your track record has been fantastic." Punk remarked.

"Can we just let him go?" Brooke asked hopefully. "Please? I know he's not really my dad but he's part of me." she reminded Punk and his heart broke.

"Brooke-" Punk began.

"Look, let me talk to her." Cal said and Punk glared at him. "It's fine I promise."

"Look, kid." Cal began kneeling in front of her. "I've done some shitty things. And the right thing to do would be turning myself in because bad people don't make it far in life so you should stay good."

"You really didn't want me?" Brooke asked again hoping for another answer with tears in her eyes.

"No." He told her bluntly and swallowed a lump in his threat. "I don't want you now either so go back home with your dad and forget you ever met me." he lied coldly and Brooke threw her arms around Punk.

"No better way you could have handled that?" Punk hissed at him.

"It's the best way." Cal whispered with a shrug and that's when they heard sirens. "I assume you called them when you got here?"

"I did. And if you run I'm going to chase you." Punk warned him still holding Brooke.

"I ain't going nowhere." He said sitting back down on the rock.

* * *

The next morning Brooke was laying in bed with red swollen eyes from crying all night. Mac tried everything to cheer up her sister and so did Punk.

"Hey." AJ whispered walking into her room holding a plate of food. "Breakfast even though it's lunchtime."

"I'm not hungry." Brooke huffed.

"Well you have to eat." AJ informed her sternly sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It hurts no one wanted me." Brooke told her.

"That's not true." AJ said shaking her head. "I wanted you so badly that it hurt me. You're a grownup now so I can talk to you like one, right?" and that intrigued Brooke she always wanted to be treated like an adult and she sat up a bit.

"Yea." Brooke sniffled.

"When I found out I was pregnant I was terrified of you. I didn't know how to be a mom and I had this plan to escape my life and never look back. Then you came along and that changed everything in a good way. For starters, I learned not to be so selfish. I truly planned on running away with you and it was going to be us against the world. It wasn't going to be easy but I was going to learn how to be a good mother to you." AJ told her honestly. "I remember when I found out about you I thought my life was over but actually it was just beginning. I never even lived until I had you."

"Really?" Brooke asked with half a smile.

"Your father and I bonded over you. You bought us together." She told Brooke who smiled a bit more. "You're the reason we're a family and the reason we have Mac. You were the best thing to happen to me and you changed my life the better and there isn't one day that goes by where I regret having you. I've wanted you since you were this big." She said pressing her fingers together. "You impacted so many lives for the better and you don't even realize it. You're a perfect sweet girl who I love with everything I have and so does your dad."

"But that other dad-" Brooke began and it was hard for AJ to not bash Cal.

"I think last night he was trying to make you angry at him so you wouldn't be so sad he'd go away." She explained to Brooke. "I think he spent time with you because he did truly want to get to know you. You do look like him." AJ noted.

"Really?" Brooke asked. "I actually look like someone?"

"You do." AJ smiled a bit. "Cal, that's his name, didn't know how to be a father to you. Maybe if he gave it a little time he could have learned but he wasn't a patient man and he wasn't ready to be a father to you."

"But you weren't and you're the best mom ever." Brooke pointed out.

"That's awfully kind of you." AJ smirked kissing the top of her head. "But I think I always wanted you but I was too scared at the time to admit it."

"Do you think I want to be a mom one day?" Brooke asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Not everyone wants to be or has to be. Some women choose a different path and that's perfectly fine. You're only ten so you have a long time before you even have to think about it." AJ told her.

"Can we go see Cal?" Brooke asked.

"I don't think so." AJ said to her and Brooke sighed.

"I know dad is my dad and I love him more than anything in this world but I just want to see Cal one more time and say goodbye." Brooke insisted.

"We'll see." AJ forced out. "I love you, kiddo." She said kissing the top of her head and hugging her.

"I love you too." Brooke hugged her back.

* * *

"Daddy." Mac greeted with a wide grin.

"Yes, dear." Punk asked his daughter.

"Where did Brookey come from?" Mac asked him and Punk sighed. "Why does she have two daddies and I only have one? Do I have another one."

"Afraid not, you're stuck with just me." He teased.

"Good. I like you." Mac said seriously and he laughed.

"Thanks." Punk said amused. "It's a very complicated story and I promise to tell you about it...when you're older."

"Ugh." Mac groaned. "But I'm a grownup."

"Are you now?" Punk asked folding his arms and she nodded. "I don't know, most grownups are at least this tall." He said holding his hand up to his chest and she was far too small to reach and she glared at him.

"So mommy isn't a grownup?" Mac asked folding her arms.

"Not if she doesn't meet the height requirement." Punk said to her.

"Are you going to let Brookeys new daddy take her away?" Mac asked tilting her head.

"No one is taking Brooke anywhere and you have nothing to worry about." Punk assured her.

"I don't know what's happening." Mac sighed. "I'm so confused."

"I know it's confusing." Punk said picking Mac up and putting her on the kitchen stool. "And it is very confusing but it's a grownup thing. There's nothing for you to worry about or be confused about because nothing is changing."

"Not even Brookey?" Mac asked.

"Not even Brooke." He promised.

"Good. I like having Brookey with me." Mac told him and he smiled.

"I've noticed." He teased.

"I want to be just like her!" Mac told Punk excitedly.

"Brooke is amazing but you're amazing too. You don't have to be the same person but if you want to copy her school work ethic I wouldn't complain." Punk teased.

"I don't like school. It's boring." Mac told him.

"I know you've told me about a hundred times." Punk mocked.

"Now I'm telling you one more." Mac shot back.

"You can work on that mom attitude too." Punk laughed.

"Mom attitude?" Mac asked.

"He means you have an attitude like me." AJ said walking into the kitchen.

"Cool." Mac grinned.

"Yea, cool for everyone but me." Punk mumbled. "How's Brooke?"

"I got her to eat." AJ announced proudly. "She's going to be ok."

"Good." Punk said relieved.

"She wants to see him." AJ whispered to Punk and he sighed. "She knows he's going away and I think she needs the closure to say goodbye."

"I don't know if the police are going to allow that." Punk whispered back as Mac intently listened.

"Can I help you?" AJ asked Mac with a laugh.

"You can speak louder." Mac smiled hopefully.

"Go check on your sister." AJ told her. "She's finally awake."

"Oh, good!" Mac cheered and jumped off the stool.

"Is this something she really wants?" Punk asked AJ.

"Yea it is. And I'm not happy about it but I understand it." AJ told him and he nodded.

"Then I'll make sure it happens." Punk told her surely.

"Really?" AJ asked.

"Yea but I don't want her going to see him alone." Punk told her. "I'll go with her."

"No." AJ said firmly. "I should take her. I should get some closure as well."

"Yea." Punk hated to agree. "Can you keep your cool with him though? It took every last ounce of strength I had not to kill him last night."

"You love Brooke too much to have done that. I do too." AJ told him. "This is what we both need."

"Alright." Punk said quietly. "I'll call the lawyer tomorrow and see if we can set something up before or after sentencing."

"Thank you." AJ said wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing the corner of his mouth. "You know with Mac now in elementary school..." she trailed off.

"What?" He asked.

"Maybe we can try for that boy you're so desperate for?" She asked hopefully.

"Yea?" Punk asked with a surprised smile and she nodded.

"I don't know what it is about you but I just want to keep giving you children." She teased.

"Maybe we can get started tonight, trying that is." He said in a serious voice.

"Of course." AJ said mocking his serious voice. "If we get the girls to bed at a reasonable hour that is." "I can do it." He said surely. "Brooke has to be exhausted she hasn't slept all night and Mac falls asleep standing up."

"Remember when we played hide and seek and she feel asleep standing in the closet?" AJ asked with a laugh.

"My girl." Punk stated proudly. "I could fall asleep standing up too."

"Oh I know." She said to him. "Don't worry because I'll tire you out tonight."

"Don't make promises you can't." He warned her.

"Look, I know tomorrow is our anniversary and the girls were going to stay with your mother-" She began.

"I want them close too." Punk finished for her and AJ was relieved.

"Maybe in another week or two." She suggested.

"Good. Because I want to celebrate with you I have big plans." He informed her. "We're going to make another Brooks."

"That's the plan." AJ laughed. "I was hoping you'd say that. I stopped my birth control a few days ago. I know we haven't been able to get much alone time but-"

"That's perfect." He said to her. "Like I said we'll get started tonight."

"No sugar for them." AJ warned him. "Or they'll be bouncing off the walls, if you put on a scary movie like you did last time they'll both be on our bed."

"I'll be on my best behavior." Punk swore. "Nothing is going to keep them awake passed eight."

"Hey!" a voice yelled out banging on the door.

"Oh fuck." Punk froze.

"Uncle Colt!" Mac cheered running down the stairs to the door. "Uncle Colt!" she kept cheering until she got the door opened. "Uncle Colt!" She screamed so loud and jumped into her favorite Uncle's arms.

"Hey, Mac n cheese!" Colt smiled picking her up and hugging her. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you more!" Mac nearly cried. "Brookey!" she screamed out so loud Punk jumped. "Uncle Colt is here!"

"Uncle Colt!" Brooke yelled running down the stairs next and he opened open arm and hugged her.

"Are you staying here?" Mac asked him.

"I am so I hope you two are ready to party all night!" fun Uncle Colt cheered and Punk's face dropped.

"Daddy! Uncle Colt is here!" Mac squealed.

"Maybe another night." AJ whispered to Punk.


	19. Epilogue

**A/N: Thanks for reading and following along! A beginning, middle and end to this story. I knew it would be short and sweet. Thank you all again! Maybe I'll pop back up ;)**

* * *

 **Epilogue**

* * *

AJ held onto Brooke's hand as they walked into the interrogation room at the police station.

"I sit here?" She asked pointing to a chair and AJ nodded as Brooke jumped into the chair and Cal was bought in handcuffed.

"You're not my lawyers." Cal groaned as an officer sat him at the table and cuffed him to it.

"Five minutes." The cop told them walking to the corner of the room.

"What are you doing here kid?" Cal asked Brooke.

"Be nice to her." AJ warned him. "She wanted to see you one last time."

"You missed me?" Cal asked AJ with a grin and she just glared at him.

"I just wanted to say that I feel bad you're going to jail." Brooke told Cal and he looked at her.

"Don't feel bad for me." Cal told her seriously. "I did some bad things and when you do bad things you have to pay the price."

"How bad were you?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Pretty bad." Cal admitted. "I hope when you grow up and date you never date a man like me. Date a nice young guy who holds the door open for you and buys you dinner and gives you flowers just because."

"Like daddy does for mommy?" Brooke asked tilting her head.

"Yea." Cal laughed a bit. "You're going to have a great life and thanks to your mom you were given a fair shake at life. She loves your very much, she wanted you very much and she would do anything to protect you. Not all kids are that lucky."

"Ok." Brooke replied and Cal looked up to AJ.

"You look beautiful, Apey." Cal smiled a bit.

"I just came to say goodbye to you." AJ said strongly and he nodded a bit. "I'm sorry you ended up in this situation."

"I'm sorry too." He forced out. "This isn't exactly how I pictured us at this time in our lives."

"Same." AJ agreed.

"I did love you, Apey." Cal told her.

"I know you did." AJ forced out.

"You didn't love me." Cal said with a small laugh. "That's alright, I realized that eventually. I always hoped we'd come together again as a family I just didn't think it would be under these circumstances."

"Well, here we are." AJ stated bluntly. "I'm sorry your life took this turn. I'm not sorry for the life I built with Brooke."

"Me either." Cal chuckled a bit. "You both look healthy and happy and that's what counts."

"It's time to go Brooke." AJ announced and Brooke stood up.

"Bye." Brooke waved. "Can I write to you?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Cal told her. "It's best you just focus on the future and I am not going to be part of that."

"Alright I guess." Brooke sighed.

"I'll think of you though. And I am very glad I got to meet you." Cal told her with a genuine smile.

"I'm glad I met you too." Brooke smiled.

"Come on Brooke." AJ said holding her hand out and Brooke took it. "Goodbye, Cal."

"Apey." He smiled a bit as a tear escaped his eye and watched his wife and daughter walk out of his life for good.

* * *

Later that day Brooke was in her mom's office playing on the computer. She knew AJ and Punk were downstairs preparing dinner when Mac freely walked into the room.

"Hi, Brookey." Mac grinned looking over her shoulder to the computer. "Oh! You're in big trouble! You're not allowed on the internet!"

"Yes I am." Brooke huffed. "Look it's daddy." She pointed to the google search of 'CM Punk'.

"Oh!" Mac smiled happily. "Look at his hair!"

"It looks stupid." Brooke said scrunching up her nose and clicking away. "There's mommy too!" she said pointing at a picture of AJ and Punk from some UFC event.

"Where am I?" Mac asked annoyed.

"I don't know." Brooke shrugged clicking away.

"Woah." Brooke and Mac said at the same time.

"Girls-" Punk began walking into the room.

"You went to jail!" Mac yelled pointing at Punk.

"What?" He asked with a laugh walking into the office and was looking at the screen. "Why are you doing googling me?" He asked Brooke as he looked at the picture of his mugshot.

"It was an accident." Brooke shrugged. "You went to jail like Cal?"

"No." Punk scoffed.

"What did you do?" Mac asked dramatically.

"Nothing." Punk said annoyed. "The internet has fake stuff all of the time."

"I hope the girls aren't on the internet." AJ warned walking into the office next.

"Daddy went to sing-sing and won't tell us why." Mac explained to AJ.

"I didn't go to- where the hell did you learn that term?" Punk asked Mac who just gave him a toothy smile.

"What did you do?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Nothing. It's a lie." Punk told her and AJ eyed him.

"Lying to our daughters doesn't work when I'm about to ground them for lying." AJ told Punk.

"Grounded?" Brooke sighed.

"I did nothing." Mac defended.

"Tell them." AJ encouraged. "Be honest."

"Daddy is a prisoner?" Mac asked shocked.

"No." AJ laughed kissing the top of her head.

"I got into an argument with someone." Punk told them with ease. "So next time you two argue remember that."

"Stop." AJ laughed. "It was years ago when we went to the carnival and a clown made Brooke cry. I think she was three."

"She was." Punk mumbled.

"And the clown scared you." AJ told Brooke. "And your father told him to go away because he was scaring you but he didn't go. So your father- scared him away for you."

"Thanks dad." Brooke smiled.

"Now you two go wash up for dinner and stop sneaking onto my computer." AJ told them and they ran out.

"Scared the clown away?" Punk asked AJ amused.

"Punched him and broke his nose didn't seem appropriate." AJ smirked. "Do you remember that night?"

"Of course I do." Punk said to her. "Stupid clown kept popping up and stalking my kid, he was probably a pervert so I punched him in the face." he said simply.

"Always protecting your girls." AJ stated proudly.

"Always have and always will." He told her proudly. "That clown didn't even press charges I don't know why they booked me." He scoffed.

"Violently beating a clown at a kiddie carnival calls for arrest." AJ smirked.

"He followed Brooke everywhere!" Punk argued as AJ wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I know, baby." AJ smirked kissing his chin.

"We need to kid proof our internet by the way. I don't want Brooke googling Cal." He told her.

"Agreed. I'll figure it out." She assured him. "I don't want them googling that time you got into the fight at the hockey game either."

"A drunk fan slaps my wife ass then they get punched in the face. And my daughters should google that story so they can tell all of their their little friends when they get into high school in case some guy tries to touch them." Punk said to her.

"What would you do with three daughters?" AJ asked curiously. "How could you possible follow all three the same night if they had a date."

"First of all, I only have two daughters." Punk reminded her almost smugly. "But it wouldn't matter if I had two or eight, I'm the master of this house and only one daughter can go out on a date a night so I can follow the one."

"Then the other ones sneak in their boyfriends while you're out and you're leaving them in an empty house unsupervised." AJ pointed out.

"Where the hell are you in the scenario?" Punk asked annoyed.

"I'm going to be too tired. Besides, I'm the master of the house." She teased.

"Damn right you are, what was I thinking?" He asked kissing her cheek.

"Raising three kids is going to make me so tired." She told him.

"I bet." He said kissing her neck then stopped. "Three?"

"I took a test." She whispered. "We're having a baby."

"My boy!" He cheered throwing his arms around her.

"You wish." She snorted.

"Don't." Punk warned. "Positive male thoughts." He said to her seriously.

"You don't want three little girls running around this house driving you crazy with makeup and dates and-" she began to ramble.

"Just be a boy." Punk said simply to her belly.

"Really, Phil?" AJ asked him amused.

"Healthy first and foremost." He corrected sternly. "If you're healthy then you can be a girl but if you could try to be a boy so I don't lose all of my hair then I'd appreciate it."

"We're going to need to take my office down." AJ sighed looking around the office.

"Why?" Punk asked.

"I don't want the girls all sharing a room. I want each one to have their own room. They're little girls they need space." She told him.

"Again, you don't know it's a girl." Punk reminded her. "But we'll just get a bigger place."

"Phil." AJ sighed.

"We'll make fortune selling this place and we have the money to move somewhere bigger." Punk assured her.

"We're going to have three college tuitions to pay." She reminded him.

"I'll have to have a few more fights." He stated seriously and her face fell in horror. "Kidding!" he laughed kissing the tip of her nose. "We have the money." he assured her. "You know what's in our account. I know you get paranoid because there was a time you didn't have money but we have money for life. Relax."

"We can take the office apart." She said to him.

"And how will you write your next best selling book?" He asked.

"I only have one life. I wrote all about it in one book." She shrugged.

"You can write a novel. You've been working on it and you have writers blocks so you want me to take this room down but I will never do that, only when we move and give you a bigger office." He told her.

"I love you." She smiled kissing him. "Where would I be without you?"

"I don't know and I don't want to know." He told her.

"Are you ready for baby it 3?" she teased.

"I'm ready." He stated proudly.

"I am too." AJ stated with an odd voice.

"What?" he asked unable to not smile at the news of becoming a father again.

"It's just the first time I was pregnant and talking to you about it I didn't think I'd be able to do it." She reminded him.

"That was a long time ago. Besides you may not have felt ready but I knew you were." Punk said to her simply. "You're a natural mother."

"It still took me a bit." She added.

"Not true. The second they put Brooke in your arms your whole life was changed. It was like watching this light go on in your eyes it was beautiful." He told her and she smiled. "Now I get to watch it for a third time."

"Third time." She repeated.

"Third time." He repeated and kissed her.


End file.
